


Above it all

by Chaeyeon29



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-29
Updated: 2020-08-27
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:27:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 34,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23369977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chaeyeon29/pseuds/Chaeyeon29
Summary: When Sana finds a lonely Mina.
Relationships: Minatozaki Sana/Myoui Mina
Kudos: 15





	1. [Act 1: Bond] - I wish you could see what I'm seeing

**Author's Note:**

> this is already posted on asianff so I thought about posting it in here as well :)

In midst of a thought, she sinks deeply into her wonders. Head aching as times passes, laid-back feelings of loneliness. Throwback memories flash before her eyes, regarding emotions she cannot point out.  
Mina was sat down, knees brought up to her chest, the cold floor against her feet gently as she hugs her legs seeking for any comfort, eyes boring into the darkness, lingering a glint that was fading in time. She often asks herself if there will be a day when it becomes easy just to stay still with her thoughts, or when the lights around her room start to turn off and coldness evades her soul as it fades and leaves her body.  
But for now her room is bright. A deep shade of yellow. And for her it's the favorite place to sit, on the floor, even if it's cold, with her back arched, even if she hasn't a specific reason, but it is just relieving to look around and see how her things fit perfectly, the books, the bed sheets, the pictures on a mural and morbid paintings that seem to talk to her more than anyone ever did.  
It's lonely. It always is.  
When she gets up she's hungry, not for any specific type of food but for anything since her stomach is growling. The way to the kitchen is short, she goes downstairs without minding too much, it's a small kitchen but it's enough, there's just her anyways and sometimes she can get any food she wants when the mood strikes right and she feels funny to do so, when it's light enough for her to envision a future out of the morbidness of the state she lives in.  
The lights of the living room embrace her body, an old light that flicked from time to time. She likes to read there, even though her room is brighter.  
After a while, she gets sleepy, maybe because she thought for too long about things she couldn't do. And would never do again, she guessed.  
So she goes to her room, because after all there she can get a view from the balcony besides going to sleep, again.  
Mina pushes the clear curtains apart and can already see. She pushed the glass doors open and can already feel a chill running down her spine as the air around her thickens in an attempt to keep her warm along the cold breeze.  
She can only see stars, thousands of them, millions of them, emanating light that could get her blind if she looks too much. It's the only light coming from the sky though because where she lives there's no sun and no moon, only the solitude of the fluctuating stars above her that can't be reached. It's a usual thought of her to think about when it will hurt less, to be all alone there, trapped in that place where time don't seem to pass or passes so fast she doesn't notice, the place where her dreams lies as dead as her hopes, where she's caged for long and can't seem to get free.  
So Mina sighs, another time closing the curtains, turning her back to the pretty stars that seem everyday more ordinary filling up the spaces in the sky above the unusual place she lives in.  
***  
"Put yourself together Minatozaki" Sana mumbles to herself as she splashes water on her face. She can hear the rushed steps coming in the bathroom's direction where she stands and with every passing seconds, they grow louder, so she smiles to herself on the mirror, trying to prove that she can be as strong as she can think of. She fixes her posture and walks away, passing a group of girls that don't seem to mind her presence as they disappear inside the bathroom with voices loud enough that echoed in the hallway. She walks down the hall with a quick step and enters her class again looking much brighter, pushing aside her worries for when she gets home and thinking that it may be healthier to focus her attention to the subject in front of her that increases exponentially anytime she gives a look to the board where the teacher is writing.  
"You ok?" A small girl pokes her arm from behind, whispering near her ear.  
Sana does a thumbs up above her shoulder, not wanting to start a conversation right then. So the girl nods, although Sana can't see, the other had a curious expression on her face.  
At least the class passes faster when she started dozing off thinking about the rest of her day. When the hour comes for her to leave she gets up without looking back, with quick steps in the direction of the entrance, mind quietly slipping into a deep thought as she walks by, hands clasped around a textbook.  
"Hey Sana"  
Her arm was pulled slightly, taking her breath away for the scare.  
It's Chaeyoung, her friend, the same from earlier and the same she completely forgot for a minute.  
"Are you free today?" The shorter girl had a sweet smile, her sharp voice making its contrast along the noise in the larger hallway.  
"Not really, I'll be busy the whole day I think" Sana said, gazing the ground a bit but trying to match the smile of the other girl.  
"Oh, alright"  
"Going out with Tzuyu?" Sana asked, genuinely curious.  
"Yes," Then Chaeyoung starts walking, making Sana turn and follow her to the entrance.  
"With her and Momo, but I guess it will be just us today, to watch a movie since we have free time but the actual plan was to hang out with everybody. It's fine though"  
Sana felt a bit guilt with that since they don't have a lot of free time but at the same time she knew she couldn't, besides, she isn't the only one getting busy that day.  
As they reach the entrance to leave the building, Sana can already see Tzuyu from afar beside Momo. They were sat on a bench that covers the side road on the entrance of the building, Momo waving at them while Tzuyu looked at her phone.  
"I'll catch up with you guys another time, have fun" Sana said smiling even more while she waved back.  
"Okay then, bye" Chaeyoung slightly waved, almost dropping her art supplies. Then she walked away, making Sana turn to the other side where her car would be parked.  
That day Sana wasn't going home. Well, somewhat, it was also her house, but not really her home. She was going to her parents' house actually, or her father's house as for now, to meet his new girlfriend for the second time that year, or as she likes to think, soon to be wife, since she has been in the same situation already and they all ended up the same, marriage and then divorce, every time a different amount of time. She has told her father all the times that she likes them but warned him to get married only when he truly loves his girlfriend. He usually pretends he doesn't listen and says that he loves them on his way. She just shrugs and respects his decisions.  
That day Sana was the first to get there of them, only the butler and the other employees were in the mansion. She skipped to her room before greeting all of them like she is used to. Inside of that room was her favorite place of the house, there she had the best memories of her childhood and of her parents when they were together. So she sits on the bed with a sigh, passing her hands softly on the new dress that rested in there looking pretty, the dress her father just bought for her to wear that day.  
***  
Later on, Sana had a bright smile on her face, an easy expression of joy showing of her aura, her father was sat near her, talking about anything that she didn't pay much attention with his girlfriend while she tried to seem interested. Sana looked like a princess, showing of the dress she is sure she couldn't afford with just her monthly allowance, walking like a model among her father's friends that were there for dinner that night. She had it all rehearsed in her mind, the way to treat them, how to speak and who to address for, she was used to all of that for her father's sake.  
Nonetheless, she can feel that in the end of the day when she comes back to her own place it all would be behind, as it always is.  
She's rich, actually her father is and Sana knows she had a privileged childhood, adolescence and even her adult years since her father still pays for her college, apartment and supplies, is just that she preferred to live out of the spotlights nowadays at least until she finishes her studies. Studies she start out of stubbornness since her father told her she didn't need because he could find a job for her.  
The mansion is all packed to a splendid dinner and she knows she has to take it all and be the most pleasant as possible after all she loves her father and he likes to show off his precious daughter to the eyes of the public there, being them as rich as him, it didn't matter. Although that night isn't about her, she freely talks with however is interested to hear her stories.  
When midnight strikes, she feels exhausted, getting inside her room and taking of her shoes to feel the floor under her soles, dinner is over so she gets to rest now.  
A buzz came from her cellphone when she lays on her bed, she can already see that's Tzuyu that is texting her.  
***"Did everything go well?" ***  
The message flashes at the screen as she picks it up.  
***"Yes"*** Sana sent back, locking her phone and stretching on the bed again.  
Her eyes were about to close when she heard soft knocks on the door.  
"It's me" She heard her father's voice at the other side of the door before opening it.  
He was alone, with a smile on his face as he entered her room.  
"It was pretty agitated today wasn't it?" He asked. Sana hummed, sitting on her bed.  
"It really was, I didn't know this much people would come"  
"Sorry I didn't warn you"  
"It's fine"  
"You get along well with them." He said, walking around her room a bit.  
"I guess"  
"Thank you for coming, and, I actually have a surprise for you" He said.   
"Really?" She asked excitedly.  
Then the man put his hand on his pocket and pulled out a set of keys.  
She looked at him confused.  
"Happy birthday" He beamed hopefully, tossing her the keys.  
Sana was confused, after all, they were just three days into December and her birthday is in the end of the month.  
"What does these open?" She asked curiously, dangling the keys a little.  
"I bought you a house." Her father said like it was nothing. Her mouth fell open.  
"But I already have where to live"  
She said confused and excited at the same time.  
"But, this is a vacation house, I guess? Surprise, I wanted to do something special." He said smiling.  
"Dad," Sana got up, also smiling.  
"You didn't have to" She hugged him dearly.  
"I know, but I looked at this place and just knew it, a friend showed me and made a great deal. It belongs to you now." He said holding her shoulders and nodding.  
"Thank you." She said hugging him again.  
Sana was really surprised by that, she didn't think she needed a vacation house for the matter and all but it was a gift from her father and it's always from the heart, she knows it, so she accepted with joy.  
"Now rest, I know you had a long day, we can talk more about it later." He said walking away.  
Sana sat on the bed again with a tud, looking at the keys on her hands with curiosity. They looked rusty.  
She laid on the bed again and gazed her cellphone.  
**"*Good"***  
She had received a text from Tzuyu again.  
**"*guess what?" ***  
Sana sent.  
**"*What"***  
**"*dad just gave me a house"***  
**"*hOld on*"**  
Then her phone was ringing.  
"He gave you what?" Tzuyu's voice wasn't loud but clearly surprised, even though Sana's father is considerably rich, receiving such a property was amusing.  
"Yep, a house"  
"Like a big house?"  
"I don't know yet"  
"Hey, Sana said she got a house"  
Sana could hear Tzuyu talking with someone on the other side of the line. She heard some noise and then Momo's voice. Momo was Tzuyu's roommate after all.  
"How did you get a house?" Momo asked. It looked like she took the phone away from Tzuyu.  
"Dad gave me for my birthday"  
"Woah. What are you gonna do with it?"  
"He said it's a vacation house, so like, spend time there? I don't know, I don't want to leave my apartment and he didn't make it sound like I should"  
"Alright, I see, that's awesome"  
"Yeah"  
Sana smiled happily, she doesn't know how many time she spent talking with them before falling asleep.  
***  
The next day she truly talked with her father, about the said house, about the reason he gave it to her, about where it was and how he was able to find it and buy it. Most of the questions were answered but her father saw all of that more lightly than her, for him it was just another gift he was giving to his daughter, but for her it meant more like freedom and that her father trusts her more than when he almost didn't let her live alone in the apartment. Sana felt like he wants to contribute for whatever step she wants to give in her life now, so giving her something with such a value that's more than a dress or a trip meant a lot to her. Her relationship with her father wasn't always the best, but it worked. It worked since they made enough effort to get to the same terms and become as friendly as they could with each other as life passed.  
...  
Sana was dangling the keys when she exited her car. She came all downhill in the town to a part she didn't visit very often to find out the remains of autumn as winter approaches closely. The place had a good amount of trees, actually too much to her liking but it felt comfortable somehow, when she walked to the front porch and stepped near the front door.  
The house was made of wood, with a first floor and many windows, it was a big house for her to go alone she thought. It also looked old. 

To her surprise, the door opened easily besides the apparent spent look of the locks. The sun was bright in the sky so it was somehow easy for her to spot the furniture before going in since the sunlight filled the place quickly. All the windows were closed though, so the bright light came only from the door.  
"Okay" She said to herself, letting her purse down on the floor near the door to lock her hair on a ponytail. She found a switch and was greeted by the yellow light coming from an old lamp on the ceiling, that meant the electricity was already on and that was curious, so she closed the door behind her, now noticing how the house was really tied shut only with the lamps on the ceiling to illuminate. But that didn't bother her so far so she started looking around.  
The living room had nothing remarkable, a normal place, with a sofa, some bookshelves, a coffee table, some furniture and decorations here and there, and a television that looked like it had been around for a while. But one thing caught her attention. The things seemed old but weren't covered or filled by dust as it should be. After her quick trip through the living room, her eyes were already adjusted to the fine darkness, so she decided to go upstairs to see the rooms that she was most curious about.  
The stairs were wooden and creaky as she stepped carefully, even afraid of breaking some of them. The hallway upstairs seemed cleaner but the walls were marked and showed well the years the house went by.  
She entered the first room she saw, on her left and was left frustrated since there was just an old closet with some clothes inside and a bed that surprisingly had a mattress, it wasn't long when she came out of the room and found something odd. A feeling in her heart, just like something was out of the place all of a sudden. The lights of the hallway flickered for a split second, and then she looked at the walls and noticed that it looked as good as new, no marks, for her surprise. She looked all around trying to figure out if she was just seeing things or something like that. That was when she noticed the last room of the hallway was with the door fully open, making her heart race a bit since she was sure that it was locked before, she's the one with all the keys after all.  
"Hello?" She might as well give it a try.  
But nothing.  
She must have been wrong about the door and it was open all along.  
And about the self-regenerating walls.  
And about how the lights were way brighter than it was before, like it was newly changed.  
Sana was about to turn her back and go down the stairs to come back later with someone, she had heard about haunted houses, so she turned around and walked about two steps in the direction of the stairs.  
"Who are you?" Her heart sank when a voice evaded her ears coming from behind of her.  
Sana turned around; heart racing, just to lock eyes with a girl looking as pale as she had seen a ghost, or be a ghost, tears brimming from her brown eyes, black hair cascading on her shoulders and lips slightly parted seeming like in surprise.  
Sana gulped down, releasing a breath she was holding.  
*


	2. I feel lost in this world

Mina was sat down on a chair, legs crossed, and a cup of tea warming up her hands as she watched a movie of her DVD player. That one she hadn't see as many times as the others.  
When it came to an end she got up, to do the dishes and take a bath before going to bed like any other day, or time, or whatever she liked to call it.  
She can't even remember for how much time now she's trapped in there, in that immeasurable loop she lives in.  
Going to bed, she changed to her pajamas quickly, trying not to plan anything for when she wakes and expecting to surprise herself.  
Well, that day she would be more surprised than she could imagine.  
She didn't know that yet but it was December 4th, 2019.

_It was always night there._

What startled her at first was a voice, one that seemed like coming from downstairs and echoed in the hallway that leads to her room. Honestly, Mina had heard voices before but they ended up just being from her head. However, that one surely sounded real, almost tangible for a voice, even though its words were short, it was enough to wake Mina up and mark her memory already. So she got up, sliding her feet on her slippers to escape from the cold floor.  
Her heart almost stopped when she peeked out of her room and there stood a woman, brown hair contrasting with the yellow light as she seemed to look around the place. When Mina noticed that the unusual individual was going away, taking two steps forward, she stepped out of the shadows to greet the intruder, actually surprised with her own bold action.  
"Who are you?" Mina's eyes filled with tears with the idea of that not being a hallucination.  
The other woman turned around and stepped back, scare showing on her face as she looked at Mina.  
"I'm Sana" Her voice cracked in the middle, but Mina understood.  
"How did you get here?" Mina asked with desperation clear and although her voice was always soft, she sounded very concerned.  
"By car"  
"No I mean... This is my house"

Sana's head tilted a bit.  
"Sorry, I didn't know anyone lived here, my father gave me the house and" Sana was just saying things faster by then.  
Mina looked confused at her.  
"Do you know where you are?" Mina asked, honestly she was as confused as the other was so she just didn't know how to react because that never happened before and she's sure to not to let that woman go without answers.  
"Sure?" Sana didn't understand anymore.  
Mina looked down, finally letting two slides of tear stream on her cheeks. She only looked up seeing that Sana stepped back again and was about to go.  
"I can come back later, but you should really leave the house-"  
"Please don't go" Mina sounded broken and almost trying to hide it.  
"You don't want me to go?..."  
Sana was surprised but had that feeling that she had to do something and that whatever was happening in there would be very sensitive for the other woman.  
"What's your name?"  
Sana came closer, seeing that the other wouldn't do her any harm, she looked pale and scared but trying to show off a strong self although gazing down.  
"I'm Minatozaki Sana" She came very close, enough to reach out her hand to the woman.  
"Myoui Mina" She shook the other's hand reluctantly. Hand cold, that almost made Sana let go.

When Mina looked up again Sana could see clearly the tears that fell and the ones attempting to fall. She then noticed that the lights were odd again, lower in brightness and so she looked back to the wall that seemed marked by time again.  
_'Weird'_  
"So Mina, if you live here, why are all the windows closed? You should let the sun in a little." Sana said playfully, trying to get along in all that mess.  
Then Mina had an idea, a surprising one, as a word that triggered a memory, so she passed through Sana and went downstairs with quickly steps, to find the front door unlocked and finally pull it fully open only to be greeted by the bright sun that caressed her skin with warmth. Mina fell to her knees finally breaking down in tears because after so many time, she didn't find the emptiness of the stars on her sight while looking outside.  
Sana was concerned and scared. She had no idea of what was happening, but tried to maintain her calm to figure out how to solve that situation. She followed along and approached the other woman quietly from behind, resting a hand at Mina's back in an attempt to calm her down.  
"Are you feeling any pain or?" Sana didn't understand why the girl suddenly cried.  
Mina shook her head vigorously, hands covering her eyes as she cleaned her tears.  
"Are you sure? Do you want me to call someone?"  
It had been a while Mina didn't hear a real voice rather than her own, so Sana's sounded so soothing to her.  
"No, it's okay" She said cleaning the rest of the tears that threatened to fall. Then Mina got up, with Sana's help she supported her back on the doorframe. Their hands touched again for a second and a chill ran down Mina's spine, it's been a while she had anyone so close.  
To some point Mina knew that if she explained Sana that she was actually crying because it had been a long time she didn't feel the sunlight, the girl would stare at her weirdly and ask her questions. Questions that she didn't know how to answer.  
"Sorry to ask but, why are you crying?" Sana's eyes stared in pure worry at her. Mina looked down, hair covering her pinkish cheeks reddened by her cries.  
"It's nothing." She said in her usual quiet voice.  
Sana's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, Mina looked at her lifting her head a bit, before looking away and walking inside the house again.  
"I think I have some explanations to do" Sana said when the girl fully passed by her.  
"As I said, my father bought the house; I have the papers, were you not informed?" Sana said as she follows the girl inside, noticing how old it all looked compared with what she was used to.  
"But, it's my house" Mina said quickly. For as much as she is sick of the place.  
"I know you were living here for what I could see-" For more strange that it was.  
"But I don't think that there's much I can do" Sana said looking around.  
_'How was she living in here?'_  
She was dying to ask but noticed how the girl seemed sensitive.  
Mina breathed sharply.  
"Do you want me to bring you some water?"  
"It's okay, I can get it myself"  
Mina skipped to the kitchen as Sana followed her, still looking around, not forgetting the weird sight she had earlier.  
When Mina opened the fridge she wasn't much surprised, nothing drinkable was there just a few empty bottles. Sana decided to stay by the doorframe of the kitchen scanning with her eyes what the other woman tried to do, alert with that unfamiliar presence.  
Mina opened the cabinets and looked thoughtful at them.  
"I can give you some time to leave if you want to, I understand" Sana didn't feel like kicking her out so suddenly, but somehow she's in the right side of the story and the other is just a stranger for what it seems.  
Mina glanced at her.  
"Thank you"  
But continued to look around the kitchen.  
"What are you looking for?" Sana asks the same time as Mina closed the last cabinet.  
_'Any sign that I lived here'_  
"Nothing"  
After all everything now seemed old and worn out.  
Mina looked down, crossing her arms as she stood straight on the other side of the kitchen, still sniffing of her cries, her body was slightly shaking, stressed.  
"How long do you live here?" Sana suddenly asked, as a coping mechanism she was asking questions, stepping inside the kitchen near the other.  
"My whole life" Mina said, shaking her head. She had the feeling of letting the talk flow even if she isn't a talker herself. Sana seemed like a ray of sunlight right then to her, like her last hope.  
"I know it's weird," Mina softly said.  
"But I'm telling you the truth, I have no reason to lie, it's hard to explain"  
"No, it's okay," Sana supported her back on a counter.  
"We all have our problems"  
"And you have a beautiful house here"  
"Thank you... It's pretty quiet in here"  
"I can imagine"  
Sana stopped her thoughts a bit to really look at Mina, paying attention to details while the other looked down playing with her fingers. The woman looked normal, in contrast with the house she looked young, her clothes and all, her hair and everything, the beauty marks on her bare face. But Sana is thrilled, with the thought of Mina having a mental condition or being a liar. But that didn't really seem like it.  
"Do you have somewhere to go?" Sana asked, crossing her thoughts with a crazy idea she had.  
"Not really" Mina decided not to lie, she couldn't think of a place, and after all she's kinda desperate.  
Sana pushed herself of the counter.  
"I think I can help you with that." Sana said a bit too excited, that made Mina back away a bit, scared by the sudden mood swing.  
"If you want to of course" Sana completed, giving a step back after noticing. Sometimes she did that, she likes very much to help people when they need, and the woman beside her surely looked like she needed help with all of that situation.  
Mina looked down, she knew she already seemed like a crazy person and that anyone with a bad heart would have called the cops and kicked her out instantly, so she nodded slowly. Maybe she could go to the cops herself, or the firemen or the hospital, the library, anywhere were she could find someone to help her out of the situation.  
"So, honestly, I don't know how I can help you, do you have any place you want to go?"  
Mina just shook her head. She had her motives not to reveal anything by then.  
"Is it okay if I take you to my place until we figure out? I swear I'm not a psycho and that I won't do anything bad to you." Sana said. She had a crazy feeling erupting inside of her, like she should do that, she had nothing to lose and something to offer, it wasn't doing any harm.  
Mina nodded slowly again, after all, if the other had to do something bad she had quite an opportunity since they were all alone there and other humans would probably be miles of distance.  
There was a moment of silence.  
"So, should we go or you want to take something from here?"  
"No, it's fine"  
Things were happening much suddenly, Mina was kind of dizzy.  
Sana couldn't believe she was really doing that. She is totally trusting her instinct, she's really interested especially about what she saw, the place seemed to change before her eyes, so she was taking notes in her head to ask about that if she had the opportunity. They started to walk away, passing the living room that Mina crossed with heavy steps.

Mina was just lost.  
"First, do you know someone you can talk to?..." Sana asked to make sure.  
Mina didn't have many friends back in the day, but she could think of a few names, just doesn't know how to contact them, all the memories of the past were like a blur to her, she's sure lucky even to remember her own name.  
"Right now, I don't think so"  
They crossed the doorsteps together, side by side.  
"By the way, I have the papers of the house if you want to see, you know, I could be a crazy lady trying to take you out of your house"  
Mina smiled a bit.  
"Okay"  
The car wasn't that far, Sana opened the door for her while Mina gave a last look at the house. The older got in the car first; she grabbed the papers on the back and searched for the one she has to show the other.  
Mina came in with a sigh.  
"Here" Sana handled her the papers and started the car.  
Mina grabbed the papers with curiosity, reading it quickly before stopping on a name.  
_'Myoui Akira'_  
Her father's name was displayed as the previous owner.  
"I knew I had seen your name somewhere, a Myoui was the owner of course" Sana's eyes glanced over the paper on the distance where she could read a bit.  
That was enough reason for Sana to believe her.  
Mina was kind of creeped out, she swears her father gave her the house, she swears the house was in her name.  
Sana started driving when Mina returned the papers and put it back on her files.  
...  
It's not everyday that Sana brings homeless people on her apartment like that. But somehow, she felt a sense of responsibility over Mina. Not that she feels guilt for being the owner of the woman's house now, after all she has no idea how Mina survived even a week there and by the time she and Mina passed by the door of her apartment, she truly noticed that the other girl doesn't look like she has living on the streets or even badly like the house suggested she would be living. That was when Sana started to think that maybe it could be a mistake to take the girl there without even knowing her after all, there are bad and lying people in the world.  
"You can sit there. Or like, anywhere." Sana pointed to the couch, taking off her coat while eyeing Mina which was strolling lazily through the living room.  
When Mina sat down Sana followed her.  
"Do you want anything?"  
"No, you don't have to, it's fine"  
Mina's eyes looked sincere gazing at hers, Sana can't even imagine that person doing any harm, especially when she looks that fragile because Mina's eyes are soft and Sana's gaze linger into them a bit too much.  
It was the end of the afternoon by then. Sana decided not to tell anyone yet, after all, she can't find a way to explain and sound smart after telling what she's doing. So, she decided to let the other woman stay for the night. But she would surely do some calls the next morning.  
Mina was staring down to the food that Sana kindly offered her, while the other typed on her phone with her disperse atmosphere.  
_'It must be weird for her'_ Thoughts were running on Mina's head.  
"Hm, do you have a place where I can sleep?" Mina's mind was full, she almost didn't had the strength to ask, she was mentally tired and the pressure it's getting on her nerves, the anxiety of not knowing what to do. However, somehow, it all seemed like a dream to her. And she had to ask that because her eyes were dropping.  
Sana quickly put her phone down, watching as Mina looked hopeful at her.  
"Yes, I have"  
Sana always had a spare room for her friends.  
After that, she showed her the room, the bathroom attached to it and gave some spare clothes she had for Mina not to be cold in the thin clothes she was wearing.  
In the end, Sana got on her room reluctant, like a feeling of unsettledness hanging in the air, like she forgot something really important and can't remember for as much as she tried. She laid on her bed frowning, tired, just picking up her phone to remember that the next morning she would be going to college and had no one to leave Mina with. But maybe she can think about it later, because her eyes closed slowly as her head rested on a pillow, body covered by silk sheets and warmth spread across her. She drifted off to sleep without thinking about anything else. To a dreamless sleep.  
***

It looked like it had just stopped raining.

Mina looked back just once before stepping forward on the streets, hands tucked in the pockets of a jacket that still had a faint lingering smell of the previous owner, the air was chill when she breathed heavily, and the sun was yet to come up.  
***  
The sound of the loud alarm filled the room. Sana had to struggle to get up just remembering she wasn't alone anymore in the apartment. She smiled, for whatever reason. She guessed that it was for the expectation of something new.

She walked happily into the hallway, expecting to find a still asleep Mina but getting surprised by an open door and a clean made bed.  
_'Where's she?'_  
Sana considered for a moment that Mina could be in the bathroom, she had to warn the girl that she's leaving for college, so she knocked on the door a few times just to find out that it was also empty. After going to the other places of the house she realized that Mina was really gone, like she had never been there. So Sana got back to the guest room, to just now realize a note left beside the bed, that said a thank you, a sorry, and nothing else.  
*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to be clear, Mina is not a ghost... :)


	3. Accept me if you wish

Moreover, Mina had a plan clear in her head.

She was in front of a coffee shop, casting a shadow over the display, a place she certainly remembers well of her past. Looking around and seeing just a small amount of people, she entered, not expecting much since seemingly things could have changed, people could have changed and the little hope she has of finding someone she knows stumbles on a swirl of doubts as she pushes the heavy glass doors open, finding a warm environment welcoming her. Surprising, the inside of the place didn't change much for her, the wooden chairs across the tables, the white tiles covering the floor, the pictures on the walls, the menu displayed on a blackboard, the beautiful balcony decorated by dark flowers, the bookshelves filing the corners. To the outsiders it looked like a retro coffee shop. A few students here and there but it wasn't crowded as it had been back in the days.

Mina was standing near the door, not knowing exactly where to look or where to go to find the person that she's looking for. But when she took a step forward in order to go to any table and don't look strangely standing there, a hand tapped her shoulder and she looked quickly at her right side.

"Can I help you?" A woman with a bright smile, the purest Mina has ever seen asks her. It seemed like she had just entered the place as well, she was wearing a heavy coat trying to beat the cold outside. Mina almost malfunction, she could recognize that smile anytime, her legs almost trembled in a feeling she can only describe as nervousness.

"Hello?" The woman asked noticing the gaze she was receiving from the stranger.

Mina just stared for a few seconds before matching a smile, her hopes up to the ceiling.

The woman looked in about her mid-thirties, dark hair, dark eyes, plump cheeks and heart shaped lips that formed the most precious bunny smile.

"Can I help you with something Miss...?"

That was when Mina realized, she was sure Nayeon would recognize her even after all this time, after all, they spent a lot together but her heart weakened the flame that hope ignited, Nayeon was right by her side but looking clueless to her.

"My name's Mina" She gave it a shot just to try. At least she had memories of Nayeon, mostly of them hanging out and she felt that she once had a connection to the woman, one that now seemed a mere vision of her dreams.

"Mina, do you want to have a seat? Sorry but you're blocking the way" Nayeon said.

Mina wanted to cry.

"Sorry. I'll be going now" Mina reacted quickly. She looked down holding her tears, the woman seemed really clueless of who she is.

"Oh, you don't have to, I'm Im Nayeon, the owner" The woman said showing her charisma and standing her hand. Mina looked away, stepping back and grabbing the door handle.

"Sorry but I think I got in the wrong place"

Nayeon said something again but she didn't hear because like that Mina left, letting a few tears stream on her cheeks after that. It was a shock for her to see a friend and her not saying anything that gave a clue that they had met, it wasn't expected but now she thinks it has to do with her being in that place she was trapped for a long time. Maybe it's a coincidence, maybe not.

Nayeon was one of her best friends in the past.

_'What's going on? I didn't know it would be like this'_

Earlier she was glad to figure out where she was in the town, even after her mind being all messed up. She realized that she could walk for half an hour to find the place she spent so much time with Nayeon, it was the coffee shop owned by the older girl's parents at the time but now she sees that even that changed. She wondered about what happened to Nayeon's parents after all this time.

All the other people Mina knew at the time came to her mind, she didn't have many friends. Now she just doesn't know what to do. Honestly, Mina is scared if she had to take great measures to find a way to get back information about her life or what happened, now she's sure it isn't going to be easy.

Also, earlier walking on the streets she learned what year they were, she simply didn't ask Sana before, and then later realized that almost ten years had passed from the last good memory she had. Maybe Nayeon simply forgot because it's been a while. No, that wouldn't be possible. Maybe she was just messing with her. But she wouldn't be so cruel. Mina kept walking, without any direction precisely, just walking and thinking about what will be her next step, time is passing, the sun is fully up now and her stomach is grumbling, too bad she doesn't have any money with her.

So she sighs, hands locked together as she tries not to cry while walking forward down the street.

Honestly, she has one more familiar place to go, one she normally wouldn't approach alone back in the days but she was known enough there to ask a few things around. She just hopes someone can help her.

**********

Sana understands to some point. She figured that if their places were switched she wouldn't stay for too long even if a kind stranger took her in. The part she doesn't understand is that bothersome feeling she had when she thought about where the other could be. Like, Mina could be in danger. She didn't look that well when Sana found her, and a woman being alone in the streets isn't that okay, so she can't take her out of her mind.

For the moment, she can't do a thing, or she can't think about a way rather than calling someone to help her to find Mina but that would be too crazy and reckless since she only knows the woman for a day. She can't do that since she's on her way to college, roaming those silent streets as the radio of her car blasts a song she doesn't care to know.

Maybe Mina is just one of those mysterious encounters that happens suddenly in life that she will remember from time to time.

It somehow affects her mood, and it was clearly noticed by Chaeyoung that Sana isn't in her fine bubbly state when she enters the hallways they always met that morning. Rather she is serious, almost looking tired. But Sana is actually thoughtful, trying to stay away from wonders about the person she met yesterday.

"You alright?"

It's been like this between them the past few years, constantly asking about the state of mind of the other when something seems to bother them.

"Yes but, I have something to tell you later"

Sana can't figure why she didn't call Chaeyoung of all people to tell her that, but she makes an attempt of guessing that she was just busy.

When Chaeyoung was about to protest, she was interrupted by a happily smiling Dahyun wrapping her arm around Sana's shoulders.

"Good morning"

She then said, breaking completely the expectant mood.

"Good morning" Sana smiled, after all seeing her friends always makes her feel better, even more, she can already see that Momo and Tzuyu were approaching in the distance. She usually forgets her problems when she's with all of them together.

"So, what are you guys gonna do this vacation?" Dahyun asked.

"Probably sleep, like, a lot." Chaeyoung said with a sigh of relief.

"I don't know yet" Sana said.

"And you guys, what are you gonna do with your free time?"

Momo and Tzuyu had just joined them.

"Eat" Momo said briefly.

"I have no plans." Tzuyu said.

Dahyun suddenly rushed because her teacher had passed by them.

"I have to go bye." She said waving away.

Then they turned their attention back to the talk.

"What about today, who's going to hang out?" Chaeyoung asked to them, expecting at least one positive answer since she has nothing better to do.

"Can't, I have a meeting" Sana was the first to say, she had yet another meeting to attend that her father requested.

"We can go out with you." Momo said and Tzuyu nodded.

"Okay then, see you guys at night, now I have to go bye" Chaeyoung said since she saw a classmate she had some things to solve pass by them so she hurried.

The others tried to catch up but went apart when the time to go to class got near, parting ways to their respective agendas.

That day in college didn't had many unusual things, just her thoughts leading her to some theories.

In the end, Sana was about to walk down the hall to go to her car, she had to go home and take a good shower before going to meet her father yet again.

"Hey Sana wait" It was Chaeyoung again, that seemed that just got out of class.

"I heard that I don't have my last class today." Said the younger when she approached.

"Free time then? And the others?"

"All in class, except Tzu that went home already"

"Right, I was going home as well, want a ride or will wait?"

"I choose the ride thank you"

So Sana smiled and nodded, to keep walking to the exit.

"Nothing with Dahyun today right? Why don't you call her to go out with you and the girls?"

"I kinda lost the opportunity already so no, and today she's going out with her parents, her mother is in town"

In fact, Chaeyoung was growing really close to Dahyun and Sana kept teasing her about it, after all Dahyun is one of the cutest person Sana had ever met, so she pushed Chaeyoung a bit about the recently discovered crush and also Dahyun is getting quite fond of the group.

They walked side by side until reaching the car, talking about those things.

"Hey, didn't you have something to tell me?"

The sentence ended with the sound of Chaeyoung's door closing and Sana stopped her movements of starting the car.

"Yeah but it's kinda weird"

"And now I want to know even more" Chaeyoung smiled.

Sana proceeded to tell her about the previous day and with as much detail as possible. They kept talking and didn't leave the place since the older found it better to tell her before starting the car.

"Woah" Chaeyoung said as Sana begun to drive away.

"... And she just left a note?" She asked again.

"Yes, I told you it's weird" Sana did had obscured the fact that the woman of the subject was incredibly beautiful, she didn't think it mattered since she's probably never gonna see her again.

"The weirdest things happen to you"

"I know right, it's like I'm a magnet for trouble" Sana said mockingly, stopping on a red light on a crosswalk.

A good part of the ride was tranquil, just the two of them talking and listening to music.

It's been like that for them for a while now.

**********

With a rising feeling of desperation Mina had reach the dark part of the town, it wasn't that far but in her state, any effort was much, she was starving. The sun was about to go down for her dislike as she crossed a poorly paved road, a few people were around until she reaches a crossroad beyond and entered the street that leads to a suspicious neighborhood, feet lightly stepping as she tries to not to drawn too much attention.

Mina walks ahead until she stops before a building, just at the side of a park with tall fructiferous trees, a metal fence around it to mark its limits. The building beside it was two stores tall, had an old blank paint and little to no windows, very suspicious if others would say, but Mina, she had an idea of what happened behind those doors.

The sunset started to cover the few windows of the place as she looked at it with worry. It was oddly silent.

The point was to get there, enter and ask around for information, she didn't have any ID so it would be very hard to gain some trust but she was ready to dialogue. She walks to the front porch, the air thickened around her and every movement she made seemed suspicious for a moment, like someone was watching as she gave a step closer to the place. Her gaze dropped to the sidewalk to not raise any suspicious but, the fact was, since she entered the street she didn't see a single soul and it was strange. Her eyes went up when she was face to face with the door but before she could think about or even push the doorbell, she felt a chill running down her spine as cold hands grabbed her arms from behind before pulling her back with strength, Mina couldn't even defend herself.

*************

As she crosses the town, she feels like the light of the sun is setting behind of her, trying to follow but slowly leaving.

Sana was about to go to the meeting place her father proposed, the GPS showing its ways around the town since she wasn't familiar with the location. She wasn't told to look gracious that evening so she was just wearing a simple outfit, her hair down on her shoulders and light makeup, she didn't expect it to be some sort of event like it was last time. All she was told was that her father wants to meet her to show the place where he is thinking of moving a part of his company to and that it involves his daughter since her one day will be a big part of the company, or at least he wishes, for now Sana just obeys this type of requests. To start, she already dislikes the place since it's far away from where she lives and she's kinda worried since she just entered a strange neighborhood.

Some people just click together very well, as if they could understand each other with just a look.

Sana could say she was really surprised when she stopped on a red light and saw a woman being pulled by the arm by another woman behind her, she could say she was even more surprised when the woman being pulled had the exact same clothes she gave Mina and the exact same hair.

Her car stopped a bit before a building that covered a big side of the street. Beside there was a park that had large and beautiful trees but too little light, so Sana couldn't see clearly when her eyes met with Mina's as the other protested, mouth covered by the strange woman's hand that looked like to have an incredible strength since she dragged Mina inside the park like she was nothing. Sana panicked inside her car when she couldn't see Mina anymore besides the tall trees.

_'Is this really happening? Should I call the police?!! '_

Sana's hands trembled as she dialed.

"Sorry but this call can't be completed" She looked quickly to her phone and realized it had no signal and that was really weird because she was literally in the middle of the town. The traffic light in front of her blinked about two times on the green light. Luckily, no one was behind her so she can stay there without being bothered.

_'What do I do? Am I seeing things? It's not possible'_

She decided to park her car a bit ahead, to calm down, where luckily was a spot available.

She froze for a while before unlocking the door of her car and stepping on the sidewalk, a bit scared for hers and the other's safety.

The trees were large enough to cover the ending sunset and the sight of the faint moon up in the sky, Mina could barely breath under the grip holding her that led her to a spot, in the middle of a unusual set of trees away from the street. She was struggling to get set free when the person holding let her go, head barely missing the trunk of a tree.

Mina's gaze immediately shot up to the other's face, revealing to her that it was a woman, short hair dark like the night and eyes vivid as looking to her prey, she was wearing some messy clothes that looked too big for her, a simple white sweater and black jeans, her feet were bare.

"I knew you would come. I was right." The strange woman said as in realization but voice calm like a breeze.

Mina didn't know what to say; rather she just wanted to get away from there. But she had to admit that curiosity was getting to her.

"I saw you one time. You came to ask my help. Don't you remember? And then yesterday I saw you again, in a vision" The woman said, trying to sound as clear as possible and that surely called Mina's attention.

"How?" She asked.

"I shouldn't trust you so easily but, you needed my help so I came. It's Myoui right? You don't seem to remember me. I'm Jihyo and I'm a psychic, you know right? Since you came from the same place as me."

Mina was surprised and worried. She knew what that meant.

"How? Can you prove it?" She asked. Jihyo also knew what that meant. She herself was scared for the woman no remembering her. Maybe it was a test, she didn't know.

It was getting darker by each second that passed, the woman came closer, completely closing the paths Mina could run, and then she took a card of her pocket to put on top of her palm, just to put her other palm on top of it and with a gentle touch pull it up as a bunch of cards that came out of nowhere start to levitate and follow her hand movements until there was a set of cards floating in front of Mina, each one had a glow of their own, a faint silver line coming out of it. There was a card in the middle, it glowed more than the others did. The woman took exactly that card and handed to Mina.

"This is you. I woke up to a weird dream and this in front of me." She said.

Mina flipped the card and saw a woman with a beautiful white dress sat in front of a dark ebony door, a broken key in one hand and eyes covered by a dark cloth that cascaded over her shoulder.

Just right then, they heard a gasp and turned around quickly. Sana had her eyes wide open and hand covering her mouth in surprise, she was a few meters from them, she took a step back and her back hit a tree.

The cards that were floating disappeared in thin air, as the strange woman looked confused at Sana but at the same time aware that this might happen.

"Sorry. This... I'm- "Jihyo said to Mina, looking scared at both sides before running away.

"Wait" Was all Mina was able to say but she didn't run after her because Sana looked very surprised and she didn't want to leave her alone like that. The card in her hand was the only one left.

The relief Mina felt was surprising for her when seeing Sana there, like the other always appears to be her savior. She walked to her but Sana stood her hand as telling her to stop.

"What are you doing here? I saw you, and your car. And I honestly thought I was seeing things." Mina said concerned.

"I-I recognized you, I was passing by" Sana said.

"Sorry" Mina simply said.

For many things Sana was expecting to see, what she saw was far from imaginable.

"What was happening here?" She finally put her hand down and was getting calmer.

Mina hesitated, she saw panic in the other and that made her sad.

"I don't know exactly but, I can try to explain if we get out of here first" She suggested, her whole plan had gone down by what happened. She thought that if this random person knew she was there then others could know and that was dangerous, because it looked dangerous, after all the woman, Jihyo, ran when she realized they weren't alone, so Mina figured that it was better to get as far as possible before more people can show up. For Jihyo's reaction that was no good, maybe something happened and she doesn't remember. She can go back later, alone.

"I... agree" Sana said looking at the direction she came from, she waited for Mina to pass by her before joining the walk, looking around. They got to the car in seconds of walking in silence. Mina wanted to say something but she was concerned that Sana would push her away. After all, it's not every day Sana sees things disappearing in front of her eyes. They stood beside the car near the traffic light, green light still flickering.

"Sorry for leaving suddenly" Mina then broke the silence. She didn't want to give explanations but at least she could apologize.

"Yeah, but it's okay, you had your reasons" Reasons that Sana was getting curious to know after that, in fact, since the day she first met Mina she had wondered about the weird stuff she saw in that house. And the girl herself of course because Mina seemed more intriguing each second that passed.

"I didn't want to get anyone involved so it was for the best." Mina said fidgeting.

"So, like, what was that?" Sana said with a nervous giggle, hoping to not to scare the other after all.

"She is a... How can I say? Some sort of... psychic. She sees things I guess. But I don't know actually" Mina didn't even know how to start.

"I swear I saw cards floating"

"They did"

"But that's impossible"

Mina looked frustrated by then, somehow she wanted to tell Sana, and only fear was stopping her to do so, fear for the other.

"It isn't. Sana... Can I call you Sana?"

"Yes" Sana giggled a bit since she thought they had already passed formalities.

"You see, my family, they came from a place different from here, where floating cards are not that... Unusual but, a thing we can see regularly"

Sana laughed a bit, but then realized that Mina had some idea of what she was doing.

"What?"

"I'm not kidding, you saw yourself, this world we are right now isn't the only one and I was looking for some people that could help me remember some things I forgot, my family, and there are other people that aren't from here living around"

That was the most confusing sentence Sana had heard the woman saying.

"So, you want to find you family, that's good... But they're from other world? I- I want to believe in you but... That's impossible"

"Just let me show you." Mina then said.

"... I don't know Mina"

Mina had seen that type of thing a bunch of times in the business her family has in her hometown. She grabbed the card carefully between her fingers before flipping it lightly and it somehow it stood there in the air, even before Mina took her hand off it, even before two seconds of just floating and spinning slowly.

"There" Mina said as both looked attentively at it.

"I mean, it could be... I don't know. I don't know if I want to believe in this." Sana just said.

"You must be kind of afraid,"

"Oh my... Okay, all right. For now, I want to believe in you." Let us call it a feeling.

Mina was still afraid but just seeing Sana confused like that made her let her shields down a bit, there was something about Sana that made Mina believe she should be trusted.

"That's why I left, it's not that simple for people to believe, and I didn't want to put anyone into trouble"

Sana stared at her eyes intensely, that woman couldn't be lying. At that moment, it was as Sana knew that her life would never be the same, so she took a bold decision again.

"Did you find someone to help you?"

"Not yet, I was interrupted of getting there" Mina pointed to the building near them.

"It's a gateway to the other world, my world. I was going to look around to see if I can find my family or anyone that remember me there, but I barely remember the place"

Mina was calmer now, she breathed deeply and looked back to Sana, not expecting anything but ready to let her go, she was about to say that she can do the rest by herself but the girl beat her to it.

"I can help you if you want to" Sana said, she doesn't know how but she just said.

"I don't think you have to, or if you can"

"I can try to look for someone with you, it's dangerous to walk alone, I mean look what happened today, and besides you said you don't remember much. But I think it's kind of dark right now"

Sana was right, the night had entirely fallen and the streetlamps weren't really helping to keep the darkness away from them.

"Let's do it like this, I'll buy you dinner and you tell me more about this other world okay?" Sana had this feeling, this sensation tingling inside of her that she should take that leap of faith right then, like Mina couldn't harm her even if she wanted to and that it was precise to keep her close.

Mina had a similar feeling, like Sana and her shiny brown eyes were just reserved for her, to help her getting out of that mess.

"Okay" Mina agreed joining the girl inside of the car as they got out of there.

*


	4. There's something about you that made me stay

It is so confusing, to feel comfortable in an uncomfortable situation. Mina knows it.

Maybe Sana's warm smile made her feel like that.  
The streets still looked unfamiliar, but Sana was glad she was getting back to her home, less concerned than before but certainly with more questions. Honestly, she felt relief, that the other was right there by her side, reachable and then certain sequences of worries stopped playing in her head or more over, were replaced by some new ones.  
"I just remembered I had a thing"  
Sana said in realization, until then she spent some minutes talking with Mina about the allegedly other world, mostly of how things work over there and the differences from what she is used to. At that moment, Sana quickly called her father and tried to explain that she couldn't meet him that day, apologizing.  
Mina heard the whole talk since Sana put in the speaker not to risk driving with her phone in hands. She looked away to the outside being obscured by the foggy window of the car.  
"Can we go to my place and I order something?" Sana asked after ending the call, giving a quick look at Mina, her last meal was lunch and that was a while ago.  
"Okay" Mina agreed, she is feeling weak for having to wander through the town alone the whole day without rest and without any money in her pockets, she could also use a good shower.  
"You can spend the night there again by the way." Sana said, speeding the car.  
Mina did think the woman was being too nice to her.  
"Thank you" She said almost warmly, finally letting her brain take a rest, and that made Sana very happy because Mina looked like a lost puppy that had just found shelter.  
The night had fallen to seal their fate, the noises around them ceasing as they passed along the way.  
Sana became silent and thoughtful about the other, so focused on the street and on her wonders.  
After some minutes they were back to Sana's apartment, where she tossed her things somewhere and dialed her takeout.  
Mina had sat on the living room couch to wait, nothing knowing anything else to do. When Sana came along, she saw that look on Mina's eyes, of concern.  
"What did you do all day? If you don't mind me asking" Sana said with the softest voice, sensing the girl had something to say. Mina was just, a mystery, a riddle, one Sana was willing to read over and over again.  
"It's okay. I remembered a childhood friend and where her parents worked, it isn't far from here so I got there"  
"Ohhh, and what happened? It's okay if you don't want to talk about it too" Sana tried not to sound much indelicate but that was all she could think about.  
"I-I don't know, she didn't recognize me at all, like we had never met"  
Sana hummed, letting it sink in her mind.  
"And that is weird, right?" She said.  
"Yes, a lot. Then I just walked to the place you found me"  
"You walked to there?!"  
"Yes, it took me all day"  
"All day? It's pretty far. You didn't stop or eat anything?"  
"No"  
"Oh God, I hope the food gets here soon"  
Mina giggled a bit.  
"No, it's okay"  
Sana smiled to her, a small smile about how Mina wanted to be strong but looked so fragile.  
Mina was a bit bothered, her mood was awful and to say the least she wanted to curl up into a ball and hide. But it was different when she was talking and Sana was listening, the woman seemed so focused to every word Mina let out that it made her a bit embarrassed but in a good sense for the attention. And Sana had that smile, that always seemed to appear in a unexplainable timing, one Mina quickly classified as to make her comfortable.  
"And if you want to you can take a shower, the food will take some minutes, since you walked all day, you can borrow some more clothes" Sana said enthusiastic.  
"Okay and thank you for the clothes by the way"  
"It's alright. I have ones I didn't even wear"  
They both giggled with that as Sana got up and led Mina to her room to choose some sets of clothes for her. After that, Mina went to shower as Sana waited for the food to arrive.  
In fact, Sana sighed when she sat alone on the living room again. She was overwhelmed with the things she learned that day and about Mina's presence in her life once again.  
She looked at the hallway in silence, just listening the sound of the shower that echoed through.  
_'Was it a good idea to bring her here?'_  
Sana smiled a bit, thinking how her friends would react about it, she already knows Chaeyoung's reaction but the others aren't as fearless as her. But the thought of letting Mina alone out there was more concerning than anything someone would say.  
It took a couple of minutes for her order to come. She got up from the couch with a refreshed spirit, finding a genuine smile in herself again. Sometimes she thinks that she would go crazy if she doesn't smile, if she doesn't cheer herself up.  
The droplets of water streaming down, Mina was looking to her feet, the streams of hot water passing, her head heavy, she was thinking if it would be much of a trouble to have someone like Sana to help her, someone she just met and doesn't know if she can trust.  
It is a waste anyways, to keep thinking about it since she is already there and for now has nothing to do, no way to react since she can see she just met a wonderful person that said that would help her and took her in besides being scared. Mina can even remember of a distant memory of her friend Nayeon saying that she should take some risks sometimes, and she felt with a sting in her heart that it was all in the past, her tears started to fall, getting mixed with the hot water that touched her cheeks, the memories she can recall are a part of a lifetime of regrets.  
When she steps on the hallway the floor is cold, she feels a bit better but her mind is in a haze and all she can think is Sana.  
"Hello?"  
She calls a bit to herself, not seeing the woman on the living room anymore. Just when a noise on the kitchen calls her attention that she figured that, the order must have come when she was showering.  
Sana sees her from afar, coming lazily to the kitchen, holding her hands together as in nervousness, fidgeting. Setting herself on a chair near her after getting the plates done.  
The whole meal they were silent, Mina seemed highly engrossed on her food so Sana didn't want to interrupt, the other must have been starving and in her own world inside her head.  
Sana sees how cold Mina's eyes are sometimes, sad and dull to the things around her, she was quiet, like she wanted to pretend she wasn't there.  
When they sat the plates down to wash, Sana hummed, following the sounds of the plates clicking together. Mina looked at her wondering.  
"I'll put these in the dish washer and then, can we talk a bit?" Sana asked, a tune trying to light up the mood, trying to sound like they were going to have a normal conversation.  
Mina nodded, after all that was all she could give to the other, the least of answers she can think of.  
Sana's apartment was cozy. Mina could hear the noises of the plates getting each step fainter. She got on the living room, away from the couch, sat on a chair by the fireplace the other had light up to warm the room, she looked around curious now noticing that she didn't know a lot about Sana, they had met for two days now so it wasn't surprising, the things that decorated around the place weren't much but they left a mark of Sana's personally in the room.  
The other came in no time, sitting on a chair near her, warming up her hands suddenly.  
"I'm feeling sorry for having to do this but I hope you understand that I want to know more about you, you don't have to tell me everything though" Sana said, she was a bit nervous as well, somehow Mina's presence was a whole act for her, intimidating but at the same time she knew the woman was kind.  
"I want to answer your questions." Mina sincerely said.  
"Okay... What were you doing alone in the house yesterday?"  
Was the first thing Sana asked, of all things she had passing through her mind, she chose the moment they met.  
Mina tried not to be uneased by that, it could sound like a simple question but it had the most complicated answer.  
"I was inside there because I couldn't leave" She said, not minding the confused look on Sana's eyes that lighted up even more with the reflection of the creeping fire.  
"Why?"  
"I don't remember. But, I knew it was important. I know that I couldn't leave because every time I tried to open the door it wouldn't and every time I looked out of the window all that I saw was a world different from this one"  
Sana really wanted to believe that the woman wasn't crazy.  
"You see, I spent a long time there so I know that it was another world, one I couldn't go anywhere or do anything that wasn't in that house... I must be sounding crazy." Mina said worried.  
"A little bit but go on, it's okay" Sana assured.  
"I said before that there are other worlds right? I think I was stuck in that one, and time seemed like it didn't pass there... It was... Terrifying" Mina said, trying not to fill her eyes with tears.  
"I noticed something weird when I was there." Sana said, since she did experience some strange things around that place.  
"Really? And I don't know how you found me, or how you got there... "  
"I don't know either. I saw that, it was like, things were different all of a sudden, like, a lamp was faint one moment and then it was bright again or the walls, one moment were looking old, the other not, or the dust on the furniture, it seemed to disappear sometimes, like, like I was going back in time on all that stuff without knowing. Mina! I know what you're saying, like, if you were stuck somewhere else or some time when the house was new and then I was here, where the house is old and then I suddenly was there and you came back here, I mean we came back to here!" Sana said, too excited to the occasion.  
"Oh, that's... Interesting, but I don't know, I really don't remember"  
"How much time you think you were there?"  
"For what I saw, I have my last memory back in the end of 2008 but I found a calendar there said that it was December of 2009, I thought that I couldn't trust it but then I searched the house more and found some newspaper that said the same"  
"Oh my God Mina, you telling me you were ten years there?"  
"Yes, but it didn't really feel like it" Mina said, a bit sad for her liking. Sana was then excited to be able to find answers.  
"What if we go back there? To see if we can find something to help you get your memory back"  
"We could do that" Mina said nodding slowly, eyes now focused on the fire, Sana stared at her excited but restrained herself a bit seeing that cold eyes again.  
"Will you be okay?" She asked hand reaching to path Mina's shoulder.  
"I don't know but it's better than nothing, thank you" Mina had a side smile to reassure that.  
"Ah, this is so crazy" Sana said more to herself, resting her back on the chair she was.  
"It is" Mina said slowly, looking small on the big chair.  
Some seconds of silence passed, Sana didn't want to push it further since that had been a long day.  
"Okay, but now we should get a good rest agree?" Sana said getting up. Honestly, she needed some time with her thoughts to get it all together.  
"Agree" Mina got up as well and followed the other to the hallway, right then they would part ways but with a lot running through their minds.  
"Good night Mina"  
"Good night Sana"  
There was a part of Mina that was afraid, her heartbeat was fast enough to echo in her ears in the silence of the bedroom. But Mina practically fainted when she laid down. That was pretty different from Sana that was laying down but wide awake for a while, trying to find a solution to the troubles they may encounter.  
*******  
Sana's phone rung loudly across the apartment the next morning, she was busy doing lunch but had to pick up, it was Momo.  
_*"Where are you?" *_  
Sana had the phone between her shoulder and her ear since some vegetables she was cutting and a knife occupied her hands.  
_*"Not in college, I didn't go today"*_  
_*"Skipping classes right before the vacations? Not wise"*_ Momo said.  
_*"I have some things to do"*_ Sana said looking at Mina that was by her side but nearby the stove.  
_*"Are you going out with someone? Skipping classes to date isn't right you know?"*_ Momo had a teasing voice. Sana blushed a bit looking at Mina.  
_*"Nope, not dating*"_  
_*"Alright, you're nothing going to tell me so I'll leave you alone, I just wanted to know if you're fine, take care okay?"*_  
_*"I'm fine and you too, and please warn me if there's anything I need to know about our classes. Bye Momo"*_  
Then she turned off her phone and put it on the table, finding her way back to cutting.  
"You're in college?" Mina suddenly asked, picking up the plates to put on the table.  
"Yes... That was one of my friends actually... You should meet them, they're nice people." Sana said happily.  
"Later then" Mina said not to make Sana's hopes down.  
"So Mina, were you going to college or something when you, you know?" Sana asked, finishing what she was doing and sitting by the table.  
"I... Not really I guess, to when I remember I was going to take care of a shop my parents had inherit from my aunt" Mina said, then joining the other to eat.  
Sana hummed, she thought it was better to leave that conversation to later to not to bring up any difficult subjects.  
Passing noon, both decided that it was for the best to search for leads in Sana's new house so they parted quickly to the spot. The enclosed trees sounding lonely when the wind hit the road the cars passed by, Sana was tapping her fingers on the steering wheel along a sweet melody that had evaded her head on the way while Mina was with her eyes fixated on the view of the forest beyond them. Although Sana isn't one to get much time out of a subject she preferred the calm of just being there driving along with the other, anything that came up in her mind wasn't helpful on the moment. Mina didn't seem to mind though, rather she was enjoying the times she and Sana spent on the car drifting into their thoughts. Mina had to admit that she was a bit worried of being stuck there again and Sana had to admit that she was a bit afraid since that place was a mystery for both of them. But, in the end, no one said a thing about it.  
When the sight of the house encountered them again Mina raised an eyebrow, she haven't really noticed how much time passed, she was then looking hypnotized to every detail she could find in the place. When Sana stopped the car, she came back to the reality of time and they exited the car together, not sure if it would help with anything going there again.  
"You okay?" Sana preferred to ask, standing by the woman's side as she looked deeply to the front porch.  
"I'm okay." Mina said, looking at her with a shy smile. In fact, it wasn't painful to be there, she wondered if it was because it looked like a different place but, it felt calm, like the time she spent there, it felt like she was seeing a very old picture that although showed a difficulty time had a sensation of nostalgia.  
Sana stepped closer to Mina, offering her hand.  
"If you want to, we can walk in together and if anything happens, we'll face it together" Sana said, a bit worried.  
The other nodded, taking Sana's warm hands in hers as she looked at the house.  
They went forward, showing an objective approach to her goal that was to stimulate Mina's mind the best but without hurting her feelings at most. Besides that, Sana is worried because she feels like she doesn't know enough about Mina to know what will hurt her and what will not, and Sana feels the need to change that faster, to know Mina well enough so they can be on the same page.  
Mina gets that as well, but from her side it's more like she wants to understand the things she needs to tell Sana for them to work well together since the other seems so kind and gentle in agreeing to help her in the journey, the problem is, she really doesn't know even from where to start.  
But, for now, both entered together when Sana pushed the door open, revealing the same thing that greeted her when she first got there, a regular house with old furniture covered by dust.  
"You know, when you're little you can see those things more easily" Mina said, looking from the floor to the ceiling but not moving from her place by the door.  
"See things like what?" Sana asked, looking around.  
"You said you saw something weird right? Something like magic? Like fairies, unicorns, vampires, fantasy things we only think that there's in books. In our case, the changes you said you saw here" Then Mina came along with Sana, hands still together, they both looking at the furniture thinking who would be the one to start searching anything first.  
"I really don't remember seeing any of that when I was little." Sana said in wonder.  
"We usually don't, if you're lucky enough, but when it becomes a regular part of your life you remember"  
"How's that? All these are real and you had seen them?"  
Then Mina let her hand go, like she felt safer to do it and got on one side of the couch and looked over to a shelf there, pointing to Sana to help her clear it.  
"I saw some of them, I don't even know if some are real. Mostly on the time I spent home, I mean, there"  
Then they both came closer, Sana passed her hand on a part of it scattering dust in the air, they both covered their noses and mouth and waited for it to settle down.  
"You didn't grow up there or something?"  
"Not really, I was born and raised here but my parents had always taught me about where we came from so we went there almost every weekend" Mina said naturally. Sana was very shocked.  
"Got it" Sana said.  
Mina giggled a bit by the other's reaction.  
They both were now trying to take the dust off the other things a bit, when they were done for that place, they decided to search for anything there that could help Mina to regain some memory of the year of 2009 since she doesn't remember any.  
There were a lot of books in there so Sana decided to go through them as Mina looked on the other shelves and surfaces. It seemed to do the work of getting them focused because the room soon became quiet as the sound of flipping pages could be heard. After some minutes, Mina decided to go to the other rooms, as Sana was nowhere near ending the bookshelf.  
"Okay, I'll be right behind you and I'll call if anything gets my attention" Sana said, picking up another book as Mina walked away to go upstairs and see the bedrooms, she thought that there where the places with most possibilities of having something useful.  
Mina did remember well the divisions of the house she passed so many years living, as a child or as a grown up before finding Sana, Mina didn't seem much in distress as she thought she would when she reached the place, it looked like another one to her after so many years. She walked through the hallway and first came in her parent's room, a place she knew that would provide a good insight of what happened with them by the looks of it. It appeared that they left everything very fast since she opened the wardrobe and found a few pieces of clothes that survived through time. The dust on it though made her step back, reluctant to even search for something but she closed her mouth and nose with one hand and with the other, she took the clothes one by one to place them on the floor gently. After a few, she grabbed one of her mother's coats, one she remembers very well that fit perfectly on her mother's profile and it was distinct with many memories of her childhood, when Mina grabbed that one she could feel a slight weight of memories flashing through her brain but nothing much useful just the feeling of nostalgia taking over her once again. But, something caught more of her attention, when she placed the coat down a slight noise of something clicking the wooden floor make her pick it up again, going against her wishes she looked through the pockets before finding a single key, that was too small for any locks of the house.  
Finally getting through the last book, Sana dropped it back on the shelf where it belongs and took the dust out of her clothes before following Mina upstairs. She came to the sight of the woman looking at a key on her hands.  
"You found something?" She asked.  
"Yes, this" Mina said showing the key.  
"But I don't really know from where this is" She completed.  
Sana came closer and took the key into her hands, analyzing a bit.  
"It looks like a locker key." Sana said, giving it back to Mina to take another quick look at the room. Mina said nothing, just proceeded what she was doing.  
"Should I look into the other rooms?" Sana asked.  
"Yeah, go to the room next door please" Mina said.  
That was Mina's room Sana assumed, the same one that she had seen the woman coming from the first time they met. It looked oddly peaceful, as if not a single soul had entered there in a decade. She did the same procedure, looking around in the wardrobe, that had nothing, and then looking at the furniture that was also surprisingly empty, as if someone had took all Mina's stuff out of there before leaving. What caught Sana's attention was in a bedside furniture, in the bottom drawer almost hidden from the sight. She opened and found a book, seeming like a diary but with the pages blank, she passed by them until going to the end, arching an eyebrow when she found a picture standing there, the only thing that indicated Mina had lived there until then.  
"Mina! I found something!" Sana loudly said.  
The other entered the room not much time after. Sana was still looking around.  
"I didn't find anything else there" Mina came in saying. Sana was standing near the window when she came in, looking the view outside.  
"I found this one." Sana said, showing Mina the polaroid picture in her hands, she took it and was surprised. The picture showed two girls, standing hand in hand in what looked like a garden, it looked like it was taken by someone else and it had been stored very well since it didn't show much signs of time on it. Mina was in the picture, on the right side, holding hands with a woman she didn't recognize, since she was wearing a hoodie and a cap Mina could only see a part of her face and strands of short black hair and the smile she had was bright and called her attention, they both looked very happy.  
Mina was mesmerized. She didn't even know the place shown behind them, that had beautiful flowers. Sana was looking at the picture over her shoulder.  
"Other than this it didn't look like anyone lived in this room." She said breaking Mina's trance.  
"Where did you find it?" She simply asked. Sana moved to the bedside and pulled the notebook she had found the picture in earlier.  
"Here, I didn't see a thing written on it" Mina took the notebook and flipped the pages quickly but nothing special about it, she also looked around the picture and it the back of it but also nothing, so she put the picture inside the notebook again and took the decision to take it with her.  
"Anything about the picture?" Sana asked.  
"Not really" Mina said.  
Then they left the room to look around the rest of the house.  
When the search came to an end they both were a bit tired, they stood at the living room not knowing what to do.  
"I guess that's it." Sana said.  
"Should we go?" Mina said.  
"Yes, I'm super hungry" Sana said as both went through the front door.  
Mina looked back just once after Sana closed the door before going in the car for them to go back to the apartment.  
*


	5. The little things about you

The end of the afternoon.

Sana suggested for them to rest and don't worry about it too much. She had made some food for her and Mina, so they sat by the TV room and enjoyed a meal while watching something. It was surprising to Sana all the things Mina had missed, from shows to music to technology, Sana wasn't an expert but she felt so excited to show the other all the things she liked and caught her attention that Mina had yet to know, to see that glow in her eyes.  
Mina was delighted, overwhelmed by all she could see in front of her, she tried not too sound much excited but the smile on her lips and the little noises she made clearly showed how much engaged she was in the smart TV in Sana's apartment and The Avengers movies she was seeing.  
On the other side, Sana also smiled but a bit thoughtful, about if Mina would be okay to accept all she lost the last few years.  
There was also a thing passing Sana's mind, that she simply thought of bringing on in the moment when the credits of the movie started rolling.  
"So, what do you think about it?" Sana asked.  
"It's so good. I really like action movies, thank you for showing me this one." Mina said excitedly.  
"Me too, they're good." Sana said.  
"It was good to take my mind a bit of the other things. I honestly have no idea what is happening but thank you for going with me today." Mina said, more like mumbled.  
"Yeah, honestly Mina, I thought about it a lot that maybe it wasn't the best idea to go there because you could be too sensitive about it you know..."  
"It was better than nothing anyway." Mina said, mind revolving to the few things they found.  
"And Sana... Right now I can't do much but one day I will repay you, I promise."  
"I'm sure you will, but don't sweat about it, I always wanted a roommate you know" Sana said with a bright smile. She felt this thing when she talks with Mina, that she could be sincere and authentic and be comfortable about it and Mina felt that she could tell everything to Sana that the woman would be understanding with her so by then, there were going very well with each other but still with a certain level of formality.  
"Really? I'm your roommate now? I never had a roommate before" Mina said with a bright smile.  
"Neither did I but I guess we could make it work"  
"Right" Mina looked around. The idea of the place being her new home excited her a lot but it also made her remember her old home and the place she came from.  
"One day I could take you to visit my world." She suddenly said.  
"Can I go there?" Sana asked curious, even more excited with the idea.  
"Yes, a person actually just needs an ID to pass to the other side.. And that's why I can't go right now, since I have nothing"  
"I see. And I was thinking that there is a way to fix that, I don't know though, I mean, it can be possible if you say that you lost all your documents"  
"Oh, I know what you mean..."  
"I'll search about it later and tell you but for now don't worry about it." Sana said.  
"Okay"  
"So, ready for another movie until dinner?"  
"I am" Mina had a silly smile, meant to show how much she was appreciating that.  
**********  
Until a few days passed.  
"Mina, what you think about those things?" Sana asked. They both were on Sana's room, sat in front of her laptop since she was teaching Mina how to use when Sana caught the other looking distractedly at her hands where the things they found on the house earlier were.  
In general, between them it was okay since they both talked a lot along the days.  
"I don't know yet." Mina said, setting down the things on the table beside the computer. Mina adjusted herself on the comfortable chair and then hugged her knees up to her chest. She had a small pout on her lips and with that Sana unconsciously smiled finding it cute but kind of saddening at the same time. She looked away to the objects and decided to pick up the polaroid picture, examining it closely since she didn't do it before.  
"You look really happy in here." She said more to herself. Mina said nothing. She gave a look at it and just turned her attention to the laptop. She started typing.  
"Is she your girlfriend perhaps?" Sana asked, she has to admit she thought about it after seeing the picture for the first time. In fact, she was exceptionally curious about it since first, she doesn't know a thing about that kind of information about Mina and she is indeed wondering about that and second, she feels kind of curious thinking about the girl already having someone like that in her life, or if she did before all of that happened or if something happened with them.  
Sana avoided Mina's eyes that almost looked invasive looking at her when she stopped typing, trying to figure out the meaning of the question.  
"I don't really know. I probably met her in 2009 since I don't remember what happened the whole year" Mina said, also looking at the picture.  
_'That means it could be. Since she didn't deny'_ Sana thought, then putting the picture back on the table to look at what Mina was doing. Some thoughts rushed to her mind with that.  
"I told about you to a friend of mine" Sana said, Mina looked at her with concern.  
"Not like, everything but, when we met I told her that I took this woman to spend some time at my house that I found out it was living at my new house" Sana explained better, trying not to break into nervous smiles too much with the confused look Mina had.  
"I told this to just one of my friends but I thought about telling the others if it's okay to you. You should meet them since you're going to be around, they're really nice." Sana said but not really sure, by then she knew the woman is shy. Mina nodded slowly but the other could tell already that she was struggling internally with that and like that Sana decided to drop the subject to discuss later.  
The following hours they engaged in a pleasant conversation, Mina trying to understand the things Sana was showing her on the laptop while the other tried her best to recall everything that Mina missed with the time lapse, nonetheless both enjoying everything with feelings of joy. 

There was a moment though that made Sana wonder a bit, a moment when she left the room just to grab a couple cups of tea for them. She was already thinking what to say when walking back and entering the dark hallway ahead, what subject to bring when she walked through it focused at the little light coming from inside the room. Her steps were quiet, she looked down to both cups in her hands in though, the steam leaving the cups dissipating in thin air, her bare feet lightly against the cold floor. But arriving there all her thoughts suddenly faded, she lifted her head and saw the sight of the other girl warmly engaged in a game they found online, the lights were low since she decided to turn off some of them, a distinct one illuminate Mina graciously and suddenly Sana found herself standing there thinking of anything but the word beautiful looking at her.  
Sana gave a step back, her heart suddenly fastening on a quick beat.  
It was hard to look away but she did, releasing a heavy breath, but she failed to push her thoughts in the search of a meaning for that. Her heart was aching and right then she was confused, out of breath. Maybe she's just imagining things, she wondered.  
_'Maybe I'm sick or something'_ Her back was almost touching the opposite wall to the room when she gave another step back.  
"Sana?" Mina's voice filled her ears through the blackness of the hallway. Sana was with her back pressed at the opposite wall by then and looking down again before her eyes shot up to meet Mina's eyes.  
"What are you doing there in the dark?" Mina came closer, a smile taking Sana's worries away.  
"Nothing, just thinking but nothing important" Sana lied, a thing she didn't know she would ever do to the woman.  
Mina kind of suspected something.  
"I found another game for us come on" Mina then said, seeing a short of heavy atmosphere starting to set. Sana smiled a bit, following the other inside the room.  
Sana put both cups she was holding on the desk before grabbing a blanket for Mina as the other sat down in front of the laptop and Sana put the blanket on her shoulders, the woman responded with a thanks and a smile before Sana sat down by her side putting another blanket on her own shoulders and let it fall on her arms, grabbing the cup of tea and enjoying the moment as much as she could.  
When they got to sleep it was dangerously close from the birds to chirp to welcome a new morning, Sana was with her eyes almost closing, head rested on Mina's shoulders as the other leaned her head on hers, Mina was the one to get up first but Sana, if it depended on her, she could stay there forever.  
*************  
"Mina, I'm going to college today." Sana said, or better, yelled from the living room couch, expecting the message to arrive at Mina's room. It was successful and a few seconds later Mina came to meet her, she had woke up some minutes ago and was looking, well, like a person looks like when they wake up.  
"Okay" She said with a small yawn. Sana was looking down to her cellphone. A lot of things were spread on the coffee table near her, papers and pens all unorganized.  
"Did you eat breakfast?" Mina asked, sensing the answer would be negative for the looks of it since the other seemed busy.  
"No" Sana said, finally letting go of her phone to gather the papers. Mina didn't know what to say. She knows Sana for almost two week and was living with the other for a week and a half now and that was the first time Sana was going to college. That meant she would leave. Leaving Mina alone. With her own thoughts. And just maybe that wasn't going to be all good because Mina was having those weird feelings when she's alone and especially when she's without Sana that kind of hurt deep down, maybe she's growing too attached to the other.  
"Are you going to eat?" She ended up saying, turning her back to go the kitchen to take care of her own hunger.  
"I'm already late" Sana said audible enough for the other to hear.  
"Do you have something to eat there?" Mina asked listening to Sana entering the kitchen.  
"Now I have" Sana said in a hurry, Mina almost didn't have time to catch a glimpse of the woman picking a handful of crackers as her breakfast.  
"Bye, don't have too much fun without me" Sana said speeding to the door. The sound of the door being locked was the last thing Mina heard before the complete silence the apartment had for some seconds.  
...  
In fact, in about three days Sana had college vacations for the end of the year so she just had to go to college to watch some few classes, handle some projects and do some tests but in all of this she was calm, expecting herself to do a reasonable amount of efficiency to get a reasonable grade. Right then she was gathering her thoughts after a class she had, looking at absolutely nothing as she thought about the subject while sitting on a bench by the college hallway.  
"Hello" She suddenly heard coming from her right. It was Tzuyu with a bright smile.  
"And why did you disappear?" The younger woman said not breaking her gaze.  
"I didn't, I was home." Sana said kind of mockingly since she always said she didn't get enough visits from them.  
"And I answered your texts" She completed.  
"Saying that you're fine and that you're coming next week is not an explanation" Suddenly another voice came in the conversation, it was Chaeyoung who just sat by her left side.  
"We were kind of worried but I told them to trust you to take care of yourself" She completed.  
Sana giggled, knowing very well that her friend would never do that.  
Tzuyu shook her head, being the one to experience that.  
"Any news about your father and stuff?" Tzuyu then asked, well, she was worried about that after all and Sana was telling her about the situation since the younger seemed very well known of these things lately.  
"I actually have..." Sana said, thinking deeply of what to say.  
"But first, we should eat something, I'm starving and my other class will take a while to start" She said, getting up and expecting the others to follow.  
They had a place they liked to go a lot, it was a bit far from college but enough to go by walking when they feel like it. It was a small restaurant, one of Chaeyoung's findings, cozy, by the corner of a street that had no exit. That time there weren't much people, surprisingly it was almost lunch time but they were used to the sight when the place was almost for themselves.  
"By the way, where's Momo?"  
They were engaged on a random conversation when Sana asked that.  
"Went to her parents' house earlier, she'll spend a week there." Tzuyu said as they sat down at the table most far from the door. They ordered the usual.  
That meant it would be just the three of them for the next week. Or that's what Tzuyu thought so.  
"Spill it, it has to do with that girl you helped right?" Chaeyoung was fast to say, she was already predicting that Sana was going to be around the subject too much.  
"Am helping, I have a new roommate" Sana said excitedly. Chaeyoung mumbled an 'I knew it' and Tzuyu seemed like she shouldn't worry about that, probably because she didn't know the whole story.  
"Cool" She simply said.  
"Do you guys want to meet her?" Sana asked.  
Tzuyu nodded, Chaeyoung was busy picking up her cellphone from her bag.  
"Alright for me"  
"I'll just ask her first." Sana said. Now both Tzuyu and Chaeyoung were on their cellphones while Sana just waited.  
After some minutes they were happily eating, just some random subjects popped between Chaeyoung and Sana while Tzuyu was distracted.  
"How did you meet your roommate? I thought you were okay living alone, didn't even know you were looking for one" Tzuyu suddenly said amused, now realizing what Sana had said.  
Sana looked at Chaeyoung and shrugged her shoulders.  
"I wanted a roommate, and she was living in my house"  
"Yeah, she's your roommate"  
"I mean my other house. The one my father gave me"  
Tzuyu slowly nodded, taking in the information.  
"You telling me you picked up a random homeless person to live with you?" If Tzuyu put it like that it sounded absurd, but she didn't know the circumstances.  
"Sort of" Sana said nodding lightly.  
"Now that I think about it, it sounds weird but you had a good reason right?" Chaeyoung said always defending her friend.  
Sana realized that saying that her new roommate is pretty isn't a good reason, not to justify.  
"She is interesting" Sana seemed to be daydreaming while sipping on her drink.  
"Her name is Myoui Mina" She completed.  
Tzuyu turned to Chaeyoung.  
"We shouldn't worry about this right? I want to trust her but I can't" Tzuyu said.  
"Hey" Sana protested. Sometimes Sana finds funny how Tzuyu acts as if she's the 'grown up' of them.  
"She seems harmless so far." Chaeyoung said.  
"Wait, is she the reason you skipped class this week or something happened?" Chaeyoung suddenly realized.  
"Yeah, you still didn't tell us what happened, but if you don't want to it's okay" Tzuyu softly said.  
"She is kind of the reason. A lot of things happened this week"  
"I'm okay if you're okay with it but be careful." Chaeyoung said, Tzuyu nodded, agreeing completely.  
...  
Well, Sana got home pretty late that day, more than she expected to, it happened that she had a lot of work to do and lots of things to study so she forced herself to stay at the library until it closed. That meant it was much later than she wanted to, she even ate dinner before heading home. The thing was, she didn't tell Mina about it so right then Sana was turning the knob of the front door and asking herself if the other girl thought about her whereabouts. She had to admit that thoughts of Mina appeared on her mind many times all day.  
The place was silent, buzzing silent as her keys jingled on her hands, the noticeable footsteps of herself around the living room as she put her things down and sat on the couch tiredly.  
"Mina?" Sana asked but not too loud, just enough for the woman to hear her if she was close.  
Maybe Sana was used to it as well, her presence.  
She told herself that she didn't mind much and fully sank into the couch, back cracking in relief as she thought about Mina's whereabouts she wanting or not. And honestly, she was trying not to because she thought it was stupid to think about it too much.  
But then she remembered, that one time Mina was nowhere to be seen when she woke up. So, Sana opened her eyes, sighing as she got up and threw her keys anywhere stepping on the hallway to see if she can see or at least hear anything. The lights were all off on the rest of the house, the kitchen she didn't even bother because it made no sense to be there with the lights off so she went soundless to the door of Mina's room that was fully open, Sana had noticed that the other rarely closes it besides spending a huge time there.  
Sana didn't know she would feel so much relief in seeing Mina right there, more like bonding with the sheets and pillows of her bed as she seemed deep in the Dreamland. So she shook her head, the only light illuminating her way was of the distant living room, thinking with herself that it was silly but with all that it's happening it wouldn't be crazy to be careful with the other, before going to her own bedroom to take a shower and go to bed.  
As for Mina, that was a slow and somewhat tough day for her that made her realize that maybe she should start looking for a permanent solution for her life. Not that she didn't like Sana's company but it's that she felt too much dependent when she couldn't sleep and all she could think was if the other was alright and when she was going to be home.  
...  
_'Can't we just stay like this?'_ Sana was thinking strongly, almost saying it aloud when in the other day Mina had said that she would be going out to walk around alone. That was pretty rare. And Sana was just annoyed because she was using Mina's thigh as a pillow while they watched TV.  
"Where are you going?" Sana asked, lazily thrown on the couch as the other was already up and wearing a coat to go out, winter was there so she had to.  
"Not too far" Mina said, in fact, she thought about going around just to get used to the streets because you know, it's been a while she liking or not.  
"Can I go?" Sana asked nonetheless.  
"Yes, it would be great actually" Mina said, already putting the keys in her pocket.  
The thing was, Sana was in her pajamas, looking like she just woke up and Mina could say that she knew that girl enough to be sure she wasn't going out like that.  
"Good luck out there Mina, if you take too long you'll look for you." Sana dramatically said, propping her head on a pillow she just found and waving her hand to the other.  
In fact, it was a little concerning even the thought of walking around alone for Mina, to say that she was scared, oh yeah, she was, more than she thought of when she crossed the door of the apartment complex and looked to her sides deciding where to go. She just had a vague idea of what she could do and oh, right, she didn't tell that part to her roommate yet, that she is deeply thinking of doing some action to advance in life, being about her past or about new experiences, to be honest, Mina had indeed a goal in mind but she didn't want to bother Sana more than she thinks she already does.  
The crossing roads marked the streets as a populated sign, active, buzzing cars passed by her in high speeds as she walked more and more a path she had already made.  
Mina let out a small smile when from the distant other side of the street she could already see Nayeon standing near a counter inside of her coffee shop, her distinct smile cherishing anyone that looked at her direction. So she approached, entering without minding but with a certain care for not to look weirdly staring at the woman. There was a thing about that shop that Mina loved so much, the shelves filled with books that decorated a part of its insides always made she feel like she could be in home every time she sat by the table she was so used to and gladly right then was empty.  
She sat with a thud, sighing when she already could see a waitress approaching and it wasn't Nayeon.  
To sum, Mina had a bit of money that she made a vow to pay Sana later so she ordered some coffee, literally anything that she found on the menu and drifted to pull a book of the shelves. Of course, she knew Nayeon was like her and by that, meaning not from that world, so she figured out that the shelves were refilled on some parts but on the others, she still could see the fantasy books she liked so much to read. It was ironic and yes, she and Nayeon had spent a plenty of time talking about how people in that world would imagine how it would be to be in the other worlds and it was fascinating and that just added to the nostalgia.  
She sat down with a book and almost immediately, her order came. Slowly she dived into a reverie, foggy memories of distant laughs, her eyes were stopped on the first page of a book, and one she had read with Nayeon but now was just a part of her past since even the marks she left weren't even there, as if it never happened.  
She saw little of Nayeon that day, and Mina didn't know if that was good or not.  
Mina didn't take more than an hour to go back. Sana was away when she got on the apartment. Her absence was noted by one of Mina's pouts since she was expecting to find the other just there, waiting for her. It made her feel kind of lonely to have an expectation she didn't know she should have so she sat on the couch, hugging her knees up to her chest as she passed the channels on the TV, until sleep got closer and closer as she drifted into thoughts that seemed to haunt her for more that she ran from them.  
Sana came back from the grocery store. She was feeling like eating some ice cream and took the opportunity to buy some things to the house. She sighed when seeing Mina now hugging a pillow and with closed eyes on the couch, seemingly deep asleep, she turned off the TV and continued to the kitchen, organizing the things and eating some ice cream by herself, in the silence of the apartment that only broke when some minutes later she heard light steps going to there.  
"Hi" Mina said, one eye still closed, almost asleep again.  
"Hi. I bought some things. Do you want some ice cream?" Sana asked, finishing hers.  
Mina shook her head slowly, sitting on a chair in front of Sana on the small kitchen table.  
"Did you have fun?" Sana asked, putting her hands beneath her chin and smiling at the other.  
Mina blinked her sleep away with that.  
"I did. It was interesting." She said, knowing that the other had no idea where she went. But, Sana didn't seem the kind to push her to talk about it.  
"Good" Sana genuinely said. She had this feeling of satisfaction in seeing Mina going out for whatever reason because that is a step closer to getting her to fit in the time they are, in the whole situation that Mina is, it makes Sana's insides all warm to know that she can be a part of the good things that happen to the other.  
"I was thinking-" Sana suddenly said.  
"Can I call some of my friends to hang out with us tomorrow?" She asked with concern, not that she would get hurt by the other denying it but of Mina's reaction being of scare or any kind of fear.  
"With us?-" Mina said slowly.  
"Do you think it's okay? I have nothing much to talk about and don't you think they will suspect something?" She completed.  
"They're okay with mostly everything so they won't be concerned about it, I'm only asking because they're getting curious about my roommate but it's alright if you don't want to" It really was, Sana even told them to not have expectations because her roommate is shy.  
"I guess it's okay..." Mina said but with a lingering hint of concern.  
"If anything happens I'll be here okay?" Sana said with an assuring smile.  
That made Mina more confident but still thinking about it.  
*


	6. You turned my world upside down

The day had come and Mina had to say, she was feeling nervous.  
Mina was walking through the kitchen, hands full and busy as she prepared some things for them to eat that afternoon. Up to then she had already met Chaeyoung, which was in the room chatting with Sana.  
Tzuyu was out since she lost at rock, paper and scissors and was in charge of buying drinks for them.  
"Hey Mina" Chaeyoung suddenly came into the kitchen.  
"Hi" Mina said.  
"Need help?"  
"Can you get another plate?" Mina asked with a low voice.  
"Okay"  
Mina so far liked Chaeyoung very much. She was easy to talk. Tzuyu though was another deal, she was quieter than Chaeyoung but Mina thought she has the cutest smile.  
"Hey Sana, mind to help?" Chaeyoung said when she got on the room again, Mina behind her with her hands full.  
Sana was laid on the couch, cellphone in hands, as she seemed distracted. She glanced at Chaeyoung and was about to say no but she noticed Mina and immediately stood up to help her.  
"How can you live like this Mina?" Chaeyoung sarcastically asked, since she figured Sana would be the lazy one of the house.  
"I don't know" Mina said with a grin, they both sitting on the couch after setting everything up on the table, Sana between them just looking at the interaction.  
"I'm actually the one that cleans the house you know" Sana said in her defense.  
"And Mina does all the rest probably" Chaeyoung said, and then looked at Mina.  
"If she's mistreating you just let me know" Chaeyoung said playfully. Mina nodded, smiling.  
"Actually, Mina gives me a lot of work but I always forgive her because she's cute" Sana said, turning the TV on and avoiding Mina's stare.  
"Hey" Mina said with a pout.  
Sana playfully smiled at her.  
And then Tzuyu opened the door of the apartment, coming in with a bit too much drinks.  
"Here" She said giving the keys back to Sana and putting the drinks on the table. Then she sat by Mina's side giving her attention to what Sana was picking as a movie for them to watch.  
"Not anything Tzuyu has seen because she gives spoilers." Sana said still scrolling.  
"I-... I just like pointing out my opinion" Tzuyu said in her defense a bit embarrassed. Mina giggled. Chaeyoung rolled her eyes.  
"Don't worry Tzuyu, it's okay" Chaeyoung said. Yes, they already had that conversation in another movie sessions like that and Sana still seems to be extremely hurt because Tzuyu without meaning it said a spoiler of a movie a few months ago.  
"Let Mina choose" Chaeyoung suddenly said, looking hopeful at her.  
Mina sank in place a little, almost hiding near Sana for the sudden attention.  
"No, it's better if you guys pick" Mina said, gaze low.  
Sana didn't know what to say, she just looked at her.  
"I'll choose" Sana decided. Chaeyoung let go and Tzuyu was just quiet.  
They settled for something Sana liked and thought that maybe the others would like.  
That went smoothly at least. After a while, Mina seemed more comfortable. By the end of the movie, she was with her head leaned on Sana's shoulder and giving her opinion about the movie. Tzuyu also looked more relaxed. Mina seemed like a good person so far.  
They talked a bit, seeing how fast the afternoon turned to night and time passed quickly. Then it was late at night already and they had things to do, Chaeyoung and Tzuyu picked up their stuff to go home.  
They stood by the door side by side, a bright smile on their faces.  
"Bye Mina, bye Sana. See you on your birthday I guess" Chaeyoung said waving as she walked away as Tzuyu also waved.  
Sana closed the door, leaving a puzzled Mina looking at her.  
"When's your birthday?" Mina asked, then realizing she didn't know. Sana passed by her, entering the living room.  
"December 29. 8 days from today, it's a Sunday." Sana happily said.  
"Okay" Mina said sitting by her side on the couch, suddenly thoughtful.  
"When's your birthday?" Sana also decided to ask.  
"March 24" Mina didn't mind to say.  
Sana suddenly thought about it, about how Mina had her birthdays when she was alone in that house. Maybe she didn't have.  
And Mina thought the same as their minds fell into the wonder.  
"I like your friends" Mina said.  
"And they seem to like you"  
There were some drinks that lasted that Tzuyu bought, some of the drinks were alcoholic by Sana's request but in the end they decided not to drink that because Chaeyoung claimed that she needed to study when she gets home and that they shouldn't drink without her.  
Mina just watched when Sana leaned near the table and opened a can of beer for herself. Tilting her head as if asking Mina if she wanted some.  
"Don't like to drink?"  
"Not right now" Mina said, turning the TV off since they weren't paying attention to it anyways. Sana will probably save the rest for later then.  
"Say Mina, what did you do to have fun?" Sana asked bringing her legs closer as she sat with them crossed on the couch, fully turned to the other, a small smile on her lips.  
"I played a lot of games, and also did puzzles and sometimes I went out with Nayeon and our friends." Mina said, faint memories flashing.  
"Did you have a lot of friends?" Sana asked suddenly excited with the subject.  
"Sort of, it was more of Nayeon's part, she was pretty popular. I was just the weird kid that she hung out with"  
"You're not weird though." Sana said sipping more of her beer. Mina shrugged her shoulders.  
"And you?" She asked back.  
"My friends? There's Chaeyoung and Tzuyu that you already met. Then there's Momo, that you'll probably meet later and there's also Dahyun, she's kind of new with us but I really like her" Sana said enthusiastically.  
"Oh" Mina said nodding.  
"Not like, LIKE her but like, she's a nice person. But I know a person that like LIKES her" Sana said kind of defensively. Finishing the can of beer. Maybe it was already getting into her. But she decided to grab another one.  
"It's okay, you don't have to explain to me." Mina said giggling.  
"Just saying" Sana completed also giggling.  
"I'm single by the way" Sana pointed out.  
"I guessed" Mina said.  
"I'm also single by the way, at least as far as I remember" She completed.

Sana nodded, her mind sinking in a wonder.  
"Do you like girls?" Sana asked out of nowhere.  
"I-I..." Mina hesitated.  
"I do" She ended up saying, blushing a bit with the sudden subject.  
 _'Thank God'_ Sana almost said that aloud but held it inside, she felt a little of relief and it was weird of some sort. She tried to fool herself repeating inside her head that she didn't know the reason.  
"Me too" She said with a bright smile.  
"But I only dated men" Mina said.  
"You see... In my family and the environment I lived in it wasn't very welcome to be different" Mina tried to explain.  
"That's sad. But I understand" Sana said.  
"You're actually the second person I have ever talked about it. Nayeon was very welcoming when I said so at the time." Mina said with a small smile.  
"Don't worry about it now, at least not around me and the girls. You can date as many women as you want!" Sana said, yelling a bit, patting Mina's head and bringing her beer up.  
"Okay" Mina said smiling.  
"Not that I want to see you around with many girls" Sana mumbled.  
"What do you mean?" Mina asked.  
"Nothing" Sana said, shrugging that off.  
It somehow lifted a little bit of the weight Mina was feeling. She sighed.  
"What do you want to do with your life Sana?" Mina asked. Sana looked at her surprised, tilting her head to the side.  
"I don't have many expectations right now. I think I'm just going with the flow the last few years. But, once I thought a lot about it. I didn't have an answer though"  
"So we're not so different." Mina concluded.  
"Really?"  
"My life wasn't exactly complicated, my parents knew what I would be doing and I accepted. But it was like something was missing" Mina said.  
"Like there's something else you could be doing" Sana completed, sipping more of her drink, cheeks pinkish.  
"Yes. But it's hard to know"  
"I can't even imagine how you must be right now with all of this." Sana said a bit sadly.  
"No, right now... I don't feel the weight of being in a place I didn't have the intention to be in the first place. It's more like I have more open paths to follow, like I don't have to plan my tomorrow but at the same time it's so concerning" Mina ended with a sigh.  
"Because you don't know what could happen, if it would be better or worse for you" Sana completed.  
Mina nodded.  
"I don't think I ever told you about my father's plans for me right?" Sana said, finally finishing her drink, leaning to the side a bit to leave the can on the table.  
Mina shook her head.  
"He wants me to take care of his business as everyone is expecting. The thing is I don't know if I want to yet"  
Mina nodded is understanding.  
"Also, he wants me to marry a rich man and all the things. But, he also doesn't seem to mind if I choose another path and that makes me relieved because I don't want to disappoint him"  
"I get it. I also didn't want to disappoint my parents. Guess it didn't work" Mina said.  
"But that, we don't know yet" She completed.  
"Yeah" Sana said.  
"But what if I did something bad Sana?"  
Sana adjusted herself by her side, tangling their arms together.  
"Do you think you would do something bad Mina?" Sana asked, a bit light-headed.  
Mina shook her head.  
"But what if it was necessary or something?"  
Since Sana met her, she thought that she had seen all sides of Mina. Even the dark ones when she seemed so down.  
"I don't think you would do something to harm anyone."  
"So why do I feel so hurt?" Mina said in a low tone. Sana looked down with a serious expression.  
"I don't know Mina." Sana said.  
Mina sighed.  
"I had a dream yesterday." Mina suddenly said.  
"What was it about?"  
"I don't usually remember my dreams but this one was different. I was drowning in deep sea"  
"That sounds awful"  
"It was"  
"Sometimes I dream about you" Sana let it out. Resting her head on Mina's shoulder.  
"Good dreams?"  
"It's all blurry and I can't even remember correctly but I know you're there." Sana said.  
"In my hometown they say dreams matter a lot. People try to put many explanations but they can be just like mirrors to your desires... or openings to your subconscious. My mom once told me that." Mina said, a dreamingly look in her eyes.  
"So I guess it's my desire to keep you around." Sana said, a silly smile on her face.  
"I guess" Mina only said and she felt her heart skipping a beat as Sana leaned closer.  
"I feel sleepy so I'm going to bed now." Sana said getting back a bit, suddenly untangling herself of Mina and getting up. Mina just watched her.  
"I'll clean things here" Mina said when Sana walked away.  
"Thanks Mina, you're an angel" Sana said from the hallway and the last thing she heard was the door of Sana's room closing before getting up and starting cleaning the room.  
  
...  
  
The next day. It's already December 22.  
The lights of the night fall upon her across the window of her room. Mina is thinking, her eyes closed, as she enjoys nothing but her own company. What got her thinking was something simple; it got in her head over the night, one of the things that could go unnoticed by most of people along life, the mere aspect of friendship she could see between Sana and the others. Moreover, Mina had friends yes, long ago and she misses them. She misses having more memories of them, with them and making new sorts of these by their side. Not that she doesn't enjoy what she has now because Sana is a person she is very fond of, a real good friend but, Mina knows, if there's one thing she remembers is about those feelings of regrets about the unknown part of the past.  
 _'Where would I be now?'_  
She plays scenarios in her head about if her life could take a turn, or if it didn't take a turn. It made her wonder a lot about her next step.  
Two knocks on the doorframe of her open door made her turn around and look back. Sana had a small smile, as if it was automatic whenever she looked at Mina.  
"Are you busy? I was thinking about going to the mall." Sana said.  
"No, just thinking"  
Right then Mina took a decision.  
"Want to go too?" Sana came by nearer the door and asked.  
Mina looked away from her, to the horizon in front of them.  
"No, you can go, have fun."  
If Mina was looking at her she might as well had seen the small pout on Sana's lips. She noticed that Mina wasn't one to go out but nowadays she seemed much receptive to it.  
"Alright. Are you sure? Is everything okay?" Sana asked, as if she had a feeling about it. Mina shook her head slowly.  
"I... Made a decision." She saying biting her lip, almost cursing herself for having to bring up the subject.  
Sana came entirely into the room, passing across it to stand by Mina's side by the window, facing her.  
"About?" She asked.  
"It's just... I have this feeling... I appreciate the time I spent here but-" Mina looked at Sana. The other had a serious expression.  
"I'm think I'm going back home" She completed. Like these words were heavy upon the light air.  
Sana knew what she meant, that Mina was going back to her world since that it was the only home left for her, and she felt a light tug in her heart, involuntarily. She looked away, a sharp gaze to the distance beyond the space that separated them.  
Sana also made a decision at that moment.  
"Alone? But you said you don't know how things are there?... What if you get lonely, or in danger?... Do you mind if I go with you?" Sana's heart raced with that, she didn't know if she had even the right to ask but, she just had a feeling.  
Mina pouted.  
"I do. You have no reason to do that?" Mina didn't want to sound harsh or not receptive about Sana's presence but it was too late for that.  
"But think, you also don't know what you'll find there, or if there's anything left, I'll go with you and then if you're safe I come back here. Alone." Sana said, for the lots of talks they had about it she was sure that Mina expressed correctly her feelings of not being sure about the other world, about her so called home there and even if she has relatives still.  
"You have your life here and your friends, your family. I don't want you to be away from them because as you said, I don't know how things are there" These were facts, and Mina thinks she's very good in using them, Sana would also think the same in another situations but right then it didn't even make sense in her mind. Mina really didn't want to be alone in that world again but she also didn't want to be a burden.  
"You're right, but they'll be here when I come back"  
"If you go I'm not sure of how you can come back"  
"But, if you don't know, how can I let you go alone?" Sana said again, Mina nodded slowly not knowing how to talk back.  
"What matters is what's happening now. I can make it work in the future but right now, I'm not going to abandon you when you need someone the most. I'll call my friends and my father and tell them I'm going somewhere with you so they won't worry too much"  
"I really don't want to drag you into this" Mina whined.  
"You're not, I'm doing this because I want to" Sana said with a small smile and a light pat on her shoulder.  
"Besides, I'm always up to meet other places, especially if they are in other worlds." She said, but Mina didn't let her frown go.  
"Frowning so much will make you age faster Mina. Smile, you're going back home and I'm not abandoning you so easily"  
Mina looked down, fidgeting.  
For the matters of destiny they only knew about a little, Sana was assured that whatever they were going to do it would change her life forever. While Mina was giving a blind shot to a place darker than darkness itself, to a corner in her mind she was so afraid to go but so interested in exploring, she knew that the things she could come across would hurt her because it's the only explanation she had for being trapped like she was.  
"Just... Wait" Mina went to the side of her bed to open a piece of furniture, retreating from a cabinet a notebook, the same one they had found in her mysterious house.  
"That's all we have because, I tried to look call Nayeon's attention but she really doesn't recognizes me so" Mina said handling all the items to Sana, she made a mental note to ask about it later. Inside of the notebook were the photo of Mina with a girl and of the card that the woman of the weird encounter they had that brought them together again gave to her.  
"It's okay! I'm sure we can work with that." Sana said excitedly. Mina wanted to be as excited as her but she couldn't express her words as well as the other.  
"I have a plan." Mina said and finally a hint of determination glowed in her.  
"I want to find the person that gave me this card" She completed, pointing to the card in Sana's hand. It was unexpectedly curious how much the semblance of the woman of the card reminded of Mina.  
"I think we can go to that place where you found me the second time remember?"  
"Yes... But why, do you think she will be there again?"  
"I have a good guess, that place is an entrance to my world, and I don't think it was a coincidence that she dragged me from there that day"  
Mina said certain. Sana nodded, a glint of worry in her eyes.  
"We can take precautions I guess, but you need to tell me what to expect since I'm not much familiar with, you know, your world" Sana said, a bit reluctant to point that out.  
"You're right, I'll take care of it don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you" Mina securely said.  
"Really?" Sana suddenly beamed, breaking the atmosphere completely and that made Mina blush, the look in Sana's eyes that had a tone of loveliness.  
"Really" Mina mumbled, she was dead serious by the way.  
"Alright then, there's a lot to think about but..." Sana wondered aloud.  
"We'll get there, I'm sure" She completed.  
Mina nodded, now a bit more secure about everything in her mind, relieved she wasn't doing that alone by the way.  
"We need to pack! When are we leaving?" Sana asked excited, walking to the door of the room.  
Because right then Sana thought that talking about the past would do them no good.  
"Not today so relax, we're near Christmas so let it pass" Mina giggled.  
"But weren't you going to the mall?" Mina looked at the clock on the bedside. The sun would be falling soon.  
"Yes, I'll go and buy some trip stuff! What do we need? It's better if you come with me." Sana said, almost out of the room already.  
"I'm not really in the mood..."  
"Please Mina, just this once, this one last time" Sana said with puppy eyes. It then hit Mina that yes, if she went all the way back that would be her last time shopping with Sana since they intend to find separate ways in the end. Or they don't intend, to that point they didn't know what to feel about saying goodbye.  
"Okay, let's go." Mina said making Sana very happy.  
.  
  
Christmas passed well, lightly to say so, Sana spent her day with Mina and her friends and at night, she went to her father's house to eat dinner. So Mina spent the night of December 24 alone, eating and watching some movies. When the clock stroke midnight she prayed, in silence but with her heart she asked to any force out there to help her, to help them in to be relieved of difficulty. About 1AM Sana got home, a bit tired but wide-awake, to find a sleepy Mina on the couch.  
"Merry Christmas" Mina said rubbing her eyes.  
"Merry Christmas Mina" Sana said smiling and taking her coat off, it's been cold lately on the streets.  
"Were you waiting for me?" Sana asked, dropping her weight on the couch to fill the space Mina wasn't occupying.  
"Yeah" Mina's voice was as soft as it could be.  
"Really?" Sana said teasingly. Mina giggled.  
They decided not to exchange gifts for much of Sana's protest, but right then she was thinking that maybe if Mina can't make contact with her in her world, this would be her last opportunity, a wasted one.  
"You're sleepy, go to bed." Sana said trying to look up to her but with laziness.  
"I'll watch the rest of the movie." Mina said, yawning. Sana had watched that movie, an action one and for what she remembers it's not near the end. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.  
"Was everything alright there?" Mina asked sitting up, she was almost sleeping anyways.  
"Yes, it was alright, the usual. Also, I told my father that I'll be traveling, he got a bit suspicious since he doesn't know you but I said that I know you and that's enough" Sana said, also sitting up.  
It's somewhat special what Sana has with her father, even not living together anymore he sees her like she never grew up and she sees him as the same caring parent that minds about the steps she's taking.  
"Okay. Are you sure about this? Don't you have anything to do in here? Or like, it will not cause you any trouble?" Mina said, with a rush of uncertainness.  
"It's not a problem at all Mina, I want to help" Sana said with a smile.  
"But still..." It could be the hour or the fact that her leaving is getting much closer but Mina felt her anxiety spreading worries in her mind, she felt insecure about the whole thing.  
"It's okay, at least you won't be alone, I'm not saying you don't have to but thinking about what could happen too much will do no good right now, just think about what we can do today." Sana said, finding it a bit hard to understand what Mina was so worried about but trying to make clear that she'll be there for whatever be.  
"Okay" Mina said again, trying to calm down.  
Sana nodded to her, closing her eyes a bit to rest, it's not like she wasn't worried but it was that kind of worry that comes with a good expectation, like she chants to herself that everything will work and be alright but still has to think about the bad things.  
Mina couldn't think about the movie anymore so she got up.  
"We should go to bed now, you're sleeping already." Mina said poking the other.  
Sana opened her eyes lazily.  
"Will you be able to sleep? You're nervous right?" Sana asked, genuinely concerned, like she understood the other so well right then. Mina felt a string pulling in her heart, it's been a while someone cares about her to notice that.  
"I'll try, it's okay" She said.  
Sana thought about a silly offer but kept to herself.  
"I heard stretching helps your body to relax when you can't sleep" Sana said getting up.  
"I can try that." Mina said with a tiny giggle. It's just the way that the other sees and deals with things that makes her a bit happy inside, making those tiny giggles escape even when she doesn't want to.  
"Good night Sana"  
"Good night Mina"  
They said as they went down the hallway.  
***  
Mina had a sweet dream that night.  
The feelings of it got out on her when she slowly put sleep away and opened her eyes, the quicken of her heartbeat as she closes them again and rolls to her side, she smiles a bit, still not yet reminding that she had many things to do so. The clock ticking and the air conditioner blast is the only thing she hears in a while before she looks up to the ceiling, taking a deep breath and sensing the citrus smell of the perfume she sprays on her pillow every night. Her eyes close a bit again but she doesn't seem to get to sleep, thinking about her dreams until she heard the clicks of something outside, Sana had probably woke up.  
Mina was staring at nothing on the kitchen floor, sat by Sana's side, they haven't exchanged a word yet after making breakfast.  
"So..." Sana softly said, sipping on the hot tea that warmed her up.  
"How do you want to do this?" She asked.  
Mina was tying her hair on a bun, eyes still closed trying to get away of her sleep.  
"In fact, I don't know if we can make the crossing to the other world. I know you can because you have an ID but I don't" Mina said.  
"And... With crossing, you mean to get there right? So how are you going to do it?"  
"I'll find a way. I actually have an idea. We should pack some food and clothes, for two or three days since I don't know if we will find anything." Mina said, she had thought about it already.  
"I have a few cases for travel, and some bags" Sana said, a bit more worried with the new information.  
"I think backpacks would be better but we can do something with that." Mina said.  
Sana hummed staring in front of her.  
"Do you remember a lot from there?" She asks.  
"Yes and no. I remember going there and our house, some places but it's like... a dream, it's faint" Mina said.  
"But it should be alright" She completed.  
Sana nodded, not wanting to bring up much of the subject anymore, by then she trusted Mina enough to keep them both safe.  
...  
Moments like that Sana knows she is growing too attached.  
Moments when just seeing Mina smile makes her so happy.  
Moments when she's doing nothing but giving a few seconds of staring at the other and she's lost in thought.  
It was already noon. The plan was to leave in about two hours before they rested a bit after so much preparation since they woke up.  
They weren't home but in a restaurant Sana liked and Mina grew to like to have their lunch. Mina was sat on a chair in front of her, legs crossed, looking unbothered as she looked down her cellphone when more often than not she left a smile after seeing something funny. Sana wanted her to have that moment before leaving, before facing whatever they had to. She just didn't know she would be so excited in seeing that smiles, her own cellphone in hands but eyes revolving back to Mina whenever she hear a tiny giggle.  
It became a thing so quickly for them, the comfortable silence set when they started walking home after lunch.  
But Sana's graze dropped when they started approaching the door of the apartment and saw a figure standing there.  
"Hello" Jihyo said when she saw the both of them standing at the distance. Mina seemed froze and Sana preoccupied. But Jihyo had a calm expression, as she knew exactly what she was doing.  
Sana looked Mina in the eyes before standing her hand for Mina to grab.  
"Hi" Mina said when they were all standing in front of the door.  
"Sorry to come so suddenly. I noticed you guys are going to leave today so I thought about dropping by. I'm Park Jihyo by the way." She said standing her hand to Sana since they weren't properly introduced before. Mina squeezed Sana's hand.  
"How do you know we are leaving?" Sana asked when they shook hands with her free one.  
"I saw in a vision." Jihyo said.  
Mina had told Sana before what she knew about the other.  
"And what brings you here?" Mina asked.  
"I thought about helping you two. You guys have to be quick in getting there today or else you can never go back Mina. Also, I know I have to clarify some things of that day if you guys need reassurance of putting your trust on me" Jihyo said. Both Mina and Sana faced each other and with just a look, they came in agreement.  
"Come in" Sana said opening the door.  
Jihyo obliged, being guided by Mina to the couch while Sana closed the door.  
"How can you help me? You sounded like you knew me before" Mina said a bit unsure.  
"I think I said to you that day I'm a psychic. I have a shop back in the other world, our world. It's been a looooooong time. I was about 15 years old and a bit new on the psychic business. One day you appeared at my doorsteps asking for a prediction, I remember it was nighttime, and I was closed but you insisted. You came in. I asked your name and what you wanted to know... Sorry, I don't remember correctly what you said but it was almost like asking what would happen of our current Queen went away"  
"Sorry what?" Mina said shocked.  
"You guys have a Queen?" Sana asked.  
"Yes, she have been ruling for about nine years from now" Jihyo clarified.  
"Jihyo. I have something to tell you." Mina then said.  
"I wasn't around for about the last ten years and I don't even remember coming here. I was stuck, in another world"  
"Oh, that is awful. How was that?"  
"I actually don't know how it happened. I was alone there all the time until Sana found me."  
"How did she find you?"  
Sana gave a look at Mina.  
"We don't know." She said.  
"That's interesting... You don't even remember why you needed a psychic?" Jihyo asked Mina.  
"Not really"  
"That's terrible"  
"It's okay, keep going"  
"Okay, if you say so. We do have a Queen and Mina asked about her future but I just couldn't predict anything so you left and I never saw you again until you appeared in a dream of mine and that card was in front of me when I woke up. You know how it works right?" Jihyo completed.  
"I do" Mina said. By then Sana was just listening. That was regarding the complex ways about how psychics work and how they get sudden predictions without their meaning sometimes.  
"And are you sure you want to come too? I came here today because I had a bad feeling and Mina appeared in my mind again." Jihyo said turning to Sana that was sat by Mina's side.  
"I'm sure." Sana said.  
"So you guys better to start leaving now or else... I don't know what would happen but I have a strong feeling that Mina has to be there today and as soon as possible." Jihyo said getting up.  
"And by the way, I'm going with you two, I actually live there and I have an emergency to solve today so it's better if we go quickly" She said, heading to the door expecting them to follow.  
"Just give us a minute." Sana said like taking the words of Mina's mouth.  
"So, this is it" Mina started saying.  
"Are you a hundred percent sure you want to come?" Mina was insecure, afraid of being a trouble.  
"Yes I do, I'm excited for what we can find out and I hope you can get your life back." Sana said. In the last part, she was chanting in her mind that it was for the best and it would do no good for them being selfish in those hours.  
"Then, let's go" Mina said with a smile.  
  
...  
  
"Chaeyoung, I won't take long, I promise when I come back we can go on a vacation" Sana said by the phone, they had just arrived at the building, Mina was just by her side, taking the rest of the stuff of the car before their uber drove away.  
Jihyo was a few steps ahead, waiting for them.  
"Done." Mina said.  
"It's Chaeyoung, she is with the others." Sana whispered pointing to her phone.  
"I know it's almost New Year's. We can celebrate my birthday when I come back." Sana said on the phone.  
They had this thing about the beginning of the year, it was almost a tradition.  
"Tell them I said hi." Mina said.  
"Mina said hi." Sana said.  
"Hi Mina" They could hear the messy shouts.  
It was fifteen before 2 of the afternoon, a chill air crossed their path as they slowly walked away to stop on the building's door.  
"I have to go now, see you soon, love you all bye." Sana said at last, tucking in her cellphone.  
Mina went in front to meet Jihyo that was waiting to ring the doorbell.  
 _*Ding dong*_ It hung in the air with a heavy sound.  
The shuffling of feet inside could be heard faintly before a crack of the door could be seen, a woman peeked her eye to look at them with suspicious.  
"How may I help you?" Her voice sounded spent or tired in the minds.  
"Hm, hi, I'm here to do the crossing." Jihyo said. She was the one there that had done that the most.  
Mina only had seen her parents doing that so she was nervous, and besides, she doesn't even know if she will be allowed to pass to the other side.  
There was a silence and then a click, the door closed again for their displease.  
"We tried" Sana said for only Mina to hear.  
Barely had they known that in the corner of the door was a camera, meant only for those of the distant land that seek to enter.  
There was some more shuffling and then a click, the door fully opened to reveal the woman from before, around her forties, gray hairs attempting to peek of her short hair, a suspicious gaze looking at them.  
"Welcome, you can come in" She said.  
Mina's tension loosed a bit.  
"Thank you" They said in unison when they stepped inside.  
Sana looked amusedly at everywhere because the outside of the building didn't do justice with the inside that showed a place with minimal decorations but that called much attention with the tones of black and white on the walls. First that was a hallway and a large entrance covered by glass panels that led to a gathering of people that seemed to wait something, like a in a line but all sat down in a waiting room. There wasn't crowded, just six people including them were there that hour.  
"I didn't expect that" Sana whispered to Mina when the older woman told them to sit down.  
"The have to keep track of anyone that passes through, this is the way they found out but it's really fast, we will just give our names, show our ID and that's it" Mina explained.  
Sana nodded, thinking.  
"What if we give fake names or documents?" Sana was always curious.  
"Actually, how can I explain?... They have people to check this out, they are some sort of psychics, not seers like Jihyo but they can tell when you're lying no matter who you are" Jihyo nodded with what Mina said, confirming it.  
"Okay, got it"  
As soon as she said, Sana noticed that now the room was empty.  
"You guys can come now" A guy said that came from a large sky blue hallway at the end of the room.  
They followed the guy to the hallway that had a bunch of dark wooden doors that Mina is sure she saw somewhere else but that's not weird since she's already been there, the weird thing is that Sana is also sure she has seen that door, at least one of, their walk was short.

"Say your names aloud and show me your documents please" The guy stood by the door and said.  
Jihyo was the first, stepping in front of them and taking an ID from her pocket. Sana noticed her ID was much different from hers.  
"Park Jihyo" She said and motioned Sana to come closer. The guy analyzed the document and nodded, giving it back to Jihyo.  
"Minatozaki Sana" She said doing the same. The guy also nodded and let her be.  
"Myoui Mina" Mina said a bit reluctant.  
"And the document?" The guy suspiciously eyed her.  
"Sorry but I don't have any but I hope this can prove something, that's all I have"  
Jihyo's eyes widened, she didn't know that because it didn't show in her vision.  
"I can assure she is a local too." Jihyo suddenly said, watching as Mina took something out of her pocket.  
It was a key, one of Mina's findings she found in her house. The day before Mina had a thing in her mind, a guess that the key she found in the pocket of her old mother's coat was what they called a some sort of pass, meant to let travelers in trouble, nomads, black market dealers, even spies they said so and a different sort of people do the crossing without having to exactly identify themselves to pass to the other side. It was used many years ago and maybe with that she could prove her strong intentions for them to let her pass.  
The guy took the key with care.  
"Interesting" He said. It had been a while he saw one of those.  
"I can sense something from this one, it's true that it's attached to you and I can feel you're from there but we have new policies here and we don't accept this kind of thing anymore. Sorry" He said giving the key back to her. That was it. Mina clenched her jaw and looked to the other girls with concerned.  
"I-" She mumbled when she tried to put the key back into her coat pocket but her hands were shaking and so the polaroid picture fell on the floor from her pocket. The guy looked directly into it, Sana knew exactly what it was but Jihyo couldn't see clear from where she was standing already in front of the door.  
"Wait" The guy said, crouching to pick the picture up before analyzing.  
"Oh" He said.  
Mina looked confused at him.  
"We can open an exception but just this once I guess. Please Miss, if you don't have your documents do them again or find them" The guys said handing her the picture and letting Mina pass.  
"Thank you" Both her and Sana said but Jihyo kept quiet, wondering. She made a mental note to ask for that picture later because right then she was in a hurry.  
"Alright, ready? Just cross the door when I open it" The guys said as he twisted the knob.  
"Have a good trip." He said as he opened the door.  
Jihyo was ahead, Mina clenched her fist and Sana was unquiet. Mina noticed that.  
"It's gonna be okay, we just have to go through" She whispered near Sana.  
Mina held her hand and squeezed, taking away much of Sana's questioning.  
Suddenly there was light coming from the door, one Jihyo was used to and then nothing, absolutely nothing through it, such an emptiness that hurts the eyes, it looks like the person is looking into a void of non-existence.  
Jihyo entered first and then Mina and Sana together.  
.  
End of Act 1 - Bond.  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: The doors thing I took from TT/Knock Knock/Heartshaker MV's.  
> Here is something to clarify their ages here in the story by the way:
> 
> Mina - 22(her appearance and body)/32(from the year she's born, because she spent 10 years trapped)  
> Sana - 22(will turn to 23 in a few days)  
> Jihyo - 25  
> Nayeon - 34  
> Chaeyoung - 20  
> Tzuyu - 20  
> Momo - 23  
> Dahyun – 21
> 
> Sorry for any mystakes and thanks for reading this :)


	7. [Act 2: Bloom] - Somehow, somewhere

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah

  
Sana really didn't think she would get in that moment of her life. In sheer fear and amusement for a thing, or a place, or a person. But when Mina held her hand and they passed through it she felt a will to cry, to jump and to go back all in the same time. So she closed her eyes and walked, just felling that Mina was there with her.  
It all lasted five seconds. She felt the wind on her cheeks when Mina called her name as they were there.  
It was nighttime what surely made an impact. The streetlights were so different, some with a vivid blue and others with a clear white that pierced all the colors, it stood on the sides instead of right in front between the houses as it was arranged. And the houses were all similar, with a light green and shades of gray that painted them like a blended city, with a soft feel that gave vibes of refreshment and delight but at the same time morbidness. The sidewalks were glowing similar like the street lamps but fainter. Some with a colored light that came from below them and peaked through its sides to reveal the way, no large buildings were in sight besides the one they came from but some small ones could be seen, with about one store that looked much dislocated with each other, each one with their peculiarity. The streets were black, asphalt, similar with what Sana was used, but it was clear and it contrasted with the light color of the sidewalks.  
The sky was full of stars that night.  
Mina and Sana stood froze for a few seconds, just trying to take in all of that.  
"So how's it Mina?" Jihyo asked, surprising them.  
"Is it all how you remember?" She asked again.  
"Yes, somehow"  
"Here" Jihyo pulled a paper from her pocket and gave it to her.  
"Sorry but I have to go like, right now. My address is in there because we really need to talk more. I wish I could take you guys with me but I can't so see you later. And you two should buy a cellphone here, it's better. Bye" Jihyo said and went away, walking to a street by the corner. The duo didn't have time to say a thing, just looked at the white letters that showed the address on the red paper.  
December 26, the air seems fresher over there.  
Mina looked at Sana expecting for something.  
In the sidewalk they were, the street lights made an aurora of green details sipping out of the tiles, the little to no reflection of the houses being barely noticed to contribute to the colors.  
"Where do we go now?" Sana asked breaking the deafening silence between them, Mina is so overwhelmed that she is there at last, seeing many things that are the same but some are so new that she feels a heavy weight on her chest. But Sana reminds her that she's not alone, not when she feels the warmth their hands emanate as they hold together.  
"I think I want to go to the shop to see if my parents are there. It's not that far so we can walk." Mina said finally out of her trance. Her mind was at ease a bit.  
"Here is so different by the way, I mean, it's the same but different. The composition of things" Sana mumbles, admiring all the sides as they walked away down the street, luggage right by their side as they strolled them. They had to let go of their hands to make it easier to carry on.  
"It is different somehow, the people who does the houses and buildings over here think differently and have more resources" Mina said as they turned a corner on the street and Sana was even more impressed when she saw a funny house that looked like it was took of a gloomy dream. Right beside it was a theater and more and more people seemed to occupy the streets that hour. She looked at the movement and saw so many different kinds of people, reunited, laughing and some alone, serious.  
"Later we can eat something and then we can look around if you want to" Mina said, paying attention to the other, she had to admit she got more excited with Sana being there with her. They just passed by a pastry shop.  
"Alright" Sana said looking down, playing a silly game of trying not to step on the lines of the sidewalk.  
Some blocks away, Mina stopped on a clearer area were the gaps between the buildings were bigger and because of that they had beautiful green areas between them. A bit pushed back from the houses and establishments there had a distinct and big green area on the front and a little visible wooden building inside a few steps ahead, a beautiful white arc made the entrance that was full of flowers of many colors. The flowers were so different, the colors, the sensations of it that were so subtle but mixed together so well.  
"We're here." Mina said to Sana as she passed the arc looking around.  
Sana was so delighted with the smell and looks of the flowers that she almost bumped into Mina when the girl stopped by the front door.  
There above the door stood a sign that adorned the Myoui name on it, shining.  
It indeed was a two stores wooden building that had a sparkly shine into it, unexplainable, like magic itself emanated from it. And it did.  
"Here it is, my aunt's shop that she gave for my parents before she passed away" Mina mumbled, too overwhelmed by then. Sana stood by her side.  
"It's so beautiful"  
That made Mina look at her and the other had such an admirable look that Mina's heart jumped a bit, she fought a couple of tears back and took a deep breath.  
"Let's go in, I hope someone is here." She said grabbing the door knob.  
The insides of the place were even more impressive, a bunch of magic objects of all kinds filled the spaces all over, on the walls, tables, furniture, closets, everything seemed a mess that fits perfect and makes senses plus emanates an aura of empowerment to makes the air slightly heavy but not enough to take a breath away.  
"Hello?" Sana said, as if announcing someone had arrived. She saw a bell on a counter and rang it.  
A few seconds later, they heard the crack of a door and footsteps coming from a hallway they couldn't really see since a curtain of a purple sparkly fabric was covering it.  
"Hello" A woman pushed the curtain open and came in sight.  
Mina froze, she seems worried and Sana noticed.  
"How may I help you?" The woman says with now a charismatic smile.  
"... We were just... Looking around" Mina slowly said, looking elsewhere to fight back tears again, Sana was about to say something but Mina slightly held Sana by the arm.  
"Okay, call me if you need anything" The woman said, getting back just a bit to fix something on a shelf.  
Mina then signalized Sana to go a bit away, to a window, to talk privately for a while.  
"What?" Sana asked already apprehensive.  
"She doesn't seem to know who I am... It's like what happened to Nayeon..." Mina slowly said, a lot of feelings getting to her.  
"I- It seems so. Is this the only place we can go or?"  
"Not really but, my house is nearby and my parents, they're not here I guess"  
"But if she doesn't know who I am then maybe they don't know too. She's actually my cousin"  
The woman behind the counter seemed a bit younger than Mina.  
"But what if they do, what if it's just her and what if she doesn't remember because it's been a while? Do you have any idea what is happening?"  
"Yes... and no... I have to try something"  
Mina got back to the counter and called the woman.  
"Hi, my name is Myoui Mina"  
"Oh, my name is Myoui Aya. What a coincidence, maybe we're related"  
"I think we are and that's why I'm here"  
"But, that's weird since I don't know from any relatives..."  
"I'm a distant one"  
By then Mina was lying and that wasn't like her but she wanted so much just one information.  
"Sorry to appear so suddenly it's just, I'm looking for Myoui Sachiko I heard she owes this place and I don't know where exactly to look for." She said. Aya eyed the both of them; Sana was with a small smile while Mina was dead serious.  
"I know her, she's my aunt and she moved from the town actually, about five years ago, that's why I'm in charge of the shop"  
Mina breathed deeply, at least now she knows that her parents are alive.  
"Really?... That's good. Do you mind telling me where they are? It's kind of urgent." Mina said.  
"Actually, I can't. It's been a while I don't see them but they had a reason to move out from here and sorry but I don't know you enough to tell where they are" Aya sincerely said. Well, she was right because Mina was a stranger to her eyes right then.  
Sana wasn't having good feelings about it.  
"Thank you for your time" Mina said stepping away. She quickly thought about it and it would be too suspicious to insist.  
"Yeah, thank you. And I loved the shop by the way." Sana said also going away, waving goodbye.  
"Weird" Aya mumbled while they closed the door of the shop going out.  
"And now? What do we do? I was thinking about getting something to eat first and laying low to think a bit." Sana said walking by Mina's side pushing her luggage.  
"And maybe we can talk about, you know, what do you think it's happening" Sana completed seeing Mina's silence with her serious gaze.  
"You're right, sorry" Mina snapped back to reality, she then realized that the theories in her mind may not reach Sana since the other is not familiar with how things work over there as Mina is.  
"I know a place, we can sit and talk"  
"Okay" Sana said. Mina looked to both sides before stepping outside the place, not once looking back afraid of her own feelings.  
It was just a block away, a funny looking restaurant with almost no people since it was much pass dinnertime. It was considerably a big place, with a lounge and a big outside area, not much unusual for what Sana had seen in her life, almost looking normal, or as she thought 'from her world'. They took a small table near a counter.  
The menu was surprising though, there were things Sana could read but never heard of and things she couldn't even read. Mina saw the confusion on her face and smiled to herself.  
"I'll help you." She softly said, sitting by Sana's side at the small table.  
"I hoped so." Sana said with a smile.  
"I mean, it's all new to you." Mina said.  
"I saw some things I could read though"  
"Yeah, it's the region, since it's integrated with the region of your world the language was adapted much time ago" Mina said.  
In fact, she learned that from her parents once upon a time. That city was one of the centers not one of the biggest but a significant one that linked mostly culture with the other world. When the first people coming from Sana's world got there a thousand years ago, there was a language barrier, so the guests decided to pass knowledge by teaching their language and such, and as in return they were invited to stay and stayed for many years. So, it was a fully integrated society, a mixture of races, of culture and traditions. That's why some things looked familiar and others completely strange.  
Mina ordered food and drinks as she pleased, knowing Sana well enough to tell if she'll like it or not.  
They became silent while waiting. Sana was actually missing her internet, her smartphone didn't have signal there while Mina was wondering where they could go right after that.  
"She didn't seem to recognize me at all, just like Nayeon" Mina broke the silence suddenly, saying that again, pressing her temples in stress.  
Sana nodded slowly, not knowing what to say.  
"That's why you're suspicious"  
"But I wasn't sure until Aya. She was just a kid the last time we talked. Now I know, something is really wrong"  
"Maybe we should find Jihyo again? And I thought you knew something... _"_

"I think it's a good idea to find Jihyo but she seemed busy today. And I was thinking that it's like they all forgot me, like I was erased and even in my own house we couldn't find much about me like I never lived there. I heard about that one time but I'm not sure if it's possible. That is what I was thinking of."  
"We need to do some research later then. But first let's eat and find a place to stay."  
They ended their dinner and went to the streets again. Mina firstly had an idea, since her house there is close she decided to walk to there and Sana agreed, maybe they could get lucky and it would be empty or something.  
But they weren't. Mina wasn't shocked when she walked down the street and saw a car parking in front of her previous house, of the inside of it came a family she had never seen before and they entered the house.  
"I guess this is it. We should go to a hotel or something." Mina said trying not to show much sadness in her voice.  
The night is brighter there, as if the lights were more or stronger. They walked away in silence.  
"I think I like it in here." Sana said out loud but in a wonder. They were still walking after a few minutes.  
"Really?" Mina giggled by her side. Sometimes she gets amused by Sana.  
"It's so pretty." Sana said looking around.  
"It is. It's what's known for, and for being ruled by a Queen. The cities around us are ruled by Kings or Emperors." Mina explained.  
"I see" Sana said.  
After a couple minutes, they came to a stop, a place with a fancy look and different architecture showed upon them that it had vacant rooms. The structure of it seemed vivid though, as if it had its own aura.  
"Do you know this place?" Sana asked, looking up to see if her eyes can gaze the upper levels.  
"Not really but I heard of it, so I think its okay, it's been here for a while now"  
Almost twenty years as a sign at the entrance said.  
"Should we share a room? I don't think I want to be alone right now" Sana asked when they walked inside, since she was still getting familiar with everything.  
"Honestly, me neither so we should"  
They walked side to side to the counter and choose a room with two beds on the third floor, an almost hidden room that had just one big window, away from the people.  
The service helped them with the luggage and such for them to relax. The room service was almost closing but they made it in time to order something for later, Sana wasn't sleepy at all and Mina was standing near the window, just observing the outside.  
"I like that in here it's not too cold or too hot." Sana said, laying on her bed.  
"It changed a lot" Mina just said, she was near the window observing the things she didn't notice passing by.  
"How do you remember it?" Sana asked, genuinely curious as she shifts to her side to take a look at Mina. By the almost blue rays of the moonlight gently touching her skin, Mina stood looking away, her side profile marking Sana's senses as she stared at the other without paying much mind. Sana thought that Mina is gorgeous, even if there's a mess inside of her head and her feelings are all over the place, Sana can only think that Mina is gorgeous when she's like that, seemingly away, like a movie picture.  
"The streets, the illumination, the paints of the houses. I can recognize some though." Mina said. Turning her eyes to Sana's that was staring at her. Sana gulped down.  
"It makes sense." She said, breaking her trance to look away, finding Mina's gaze intimidating.  
"I think it does" Mina said, turning her head again.  
Then silence settled down, Sana closed her eyes and rested her head on her arm. Mina noticed that and looked around, a few things running in her mind, she walked to her bed and sat turned to her friend. Sana slowly opened her eyes again hearing the creaks of the bed beside hers.  
Sana thought about it fast, seeing how Mina seemed to hesitate sometimes.  
"How are you feeling?" Sana lazily said. It was like she felt she should ask, getting up a bit to support herself by her elbows to look at Mina.  
If Mina didn't know better she would guess the other was some sort of telepath, or just highly sensitive to other's emotions.  
"Afraid" Mina said. It was more like a resume of a thrill.  
"Of not finding anyone?" Sana asked.  
"... Not that exactly. I'm not alone, I know. I have you. It's just... Do you ever feel like you don't belong anywhere?"  
Mina said, feeling emotional.  
Sana sat up in front of the other, her feet touching the cold floor between them.  
"I did. Sometimes. And even if I have a bunch of people by my side it could feel like my place was not there. It can be tricky but it's just how we work sometimes. It takes a while for some people to adapt a situation and for what I'm seeing you're doing so well Mina, you're not giving up and you're trying to find your way" Sana said.  
"But if I don't find anything in here what happens to the things I can't remember? What if someone got hurt? I don't even know where my parents are"  
"If you don't find anything we can still make it work, you're coming back with me. I'm not going anywhere until you're safe and secure. And about your parents and your past, I really can't tell but let's try to work that out together okay?" Sana said. She saw Mina's trembling hands griping on her knees and put her own hands on top of it as a try to calm her down. Mina took a deep breath.  
"Okay, sorry, I'm just freaking out. It's not like I can control it."  
"It's okay, I understand" Sana said squeezing her hand. Mina felt so emotional and with Sana's eyes on hers like that she felt her heart race, an impulse drove her to it and she got up and hugged Sana right then, tightly, her eyes shut.  
Sana got surprised a bit but accepted, she also hugged her tightly, passing her arms on her waist as the other leaned even more on her.  
"Thank you" Mina whispered.  
Sana wondered when her heart started beating so fast.  
"It's okay" She said, not letting her go.  
.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for any mistakes by the way


	8. I feel different when we are together

The sight of the sun starting to come in sight.

Sana was the first to wake up, she didn't know when she slept but Mina was there when she turned to the side and glanced the other bed, sleeping peacefully.

She knew she wouldn't be able to sleep again so soon.

So Sana got up, quietly, noticing that it probably was really early even though she wasn't used with the new atmosphere yet.

The lack of vividness in the colors of the sun that came in sight tiredly sipping through the window reminded her of a rainy day back home.

She looked around the room, feeling heavy and strange of such a different experience.

_'Another world.'_

It then sank in her mind as she sat in the bed again, as she looked at Mina one more time.

_'She looks so peaceful. Maybe she is having a good dream.'_

Sana didn't want to stare but she did so, feeling a certain numbness on her desire to look away.

Mina suddenly turned to the other side, making Sana's thoughts fade as she got up again, not knowing from where to start.

...

Mina groaned when she felt that her arm had fallen asleep. She whined again when the first thing her eyes met was light. She was still so immersed in her dreams when her mind came up to where she was, realizing everything as the memories of the last days came back quickly. She looked around to the emptiness of the room.

 _'Where is Sana?'_ She asked herself.

So she got up, just then noticing the noises of falling water coming from the bathroom.

There was this thing in the room that she thought it was different, it called attention. It looked like a screen, maybe a television, much like the one Sana had in her apartment, the same rectangular shape but it was inside the wall, no wires came from it and it was wider and thinner, wrapped around a white frame. Maybe Mina was wrong and it was some sort of useless mirror because it had little to no reflection on its black visor. But she decided to touch the white frame as she stood in front of it and a series of blue marks started glowing as she pushed the first on and the screen lit up, showing what looked like a guide in vivid green colors.

Right then Sana opened the bathroom door. Mina turned around as Sana stared in awe to the screen turned on.

"I imagined this was a TV but I didn't figure out how to turn it on." Sana said stepping closer, hands full of the clothes she was wearing before.

"I have never seen one like this but I figured out I guess" Mina said, reading what was written on the screen before touching an option and it started showing a channel.

"You're amazing, really." Sana said sitting on the bed to fix her luggage.

"Thank you" Mina said with a smile.

It looked like a cartoon what was passing on the television.

After a while, Sana focused on it trying to understand but Mina had another concern.

"What time should we leave?" She then asked.

"To Jihyo's right? After breakfast? Or lunch?" Sana said.

"After breakfast is fine." Mina said.

"I didn't order anything because I was waiting for you to wake up to know how it works and what you want"

"Did you wait for long?"

"Not really, I woke up I guess, two hours ago. I was playing on my cellphone though and took a nap and a shower." Sana said pointing to her cellphone connected to a power bank resting on the bedside furniture.

"Right" Mina said going in the direction of the small touchscreen that stood on a wall of the room. It was used to call the staff and room service. She glanced at the wall clock there.

"I'm going to ask for something for us to eat, then take a shower so we can leave" Mina said.

"Okay" Sana responded.

...

In contrast to the other night, the streets were full of people with a bit of different style of clothes and appearance, not all of them seemed to be of any part of Asia but a mixture between people from that world and people from the place Sana came from.

It was probably because the formation and population of that area was precisely increased when the portal to there was discovered in Sana's world, and that led to the people that lived where Sana is from to populate the area at the time. That also meant that some traditions bent together as for the language and some aspects of technology, however in the last point, Mina's world was more advanced with the insertion of the mystical and magical elements to the known craft.

There was something though that called Sana's attention more than the people did over there and it was the nature. She had already seen some of the flowers when visiting the shop the other night but at daylight, she could see the large trees at the distance, much bigger than she was used to have around cities and also with different colors such as morbid and as cheerful as the ones she knew.

It was also a big town, and if they looked attentively to the Northwest, they could notice the ends of a big castle decorating the sight.

Their walk was brief at least because Mina remembered Jihyo said for them to buy a cellphone there, she guessed it was for them to get in touch better. She was very surprised when she stepped on an electronics shop and saw how that technology evolved, so much from her time, even differentiating from the smartphone Sana gave her. The new ones were thin and resistant, to a point they could be easily put in a pocket but if they fell, they wouldn't break. It was basically a multifunctional screen, very different from a smartphone that had a rectangular shape, this one was first a perfect square but the lady of the shop showed them how to change forms and oh boy that was surprising, the screen was so flexible. It served as a message app, each one with a distinct ID and phone calls were longer abandoned, they preferred just to pull out a video call if they wanted to hear the person's voice or something. At least it came with a manual and their some sort of internet (that's another talk) was free to connect with other devices of the line but just for communications.

"I have to get one of these later but I guess I'll be confused." Sana said when they stepped out of the store. Mina now had her cellphone ID for other people to communicate with her.

"I don't even know but I guess I can figure out with time and you could as well." Mina said. Eyes fixated on the cellphone screen, clicking on it.

"I remember when I got the one I am with now. You have no idea what I passed through. It's like the more they evolve the more complicated they get" Sana said.

Mina giggled, that was so her to do.

They didn't have to walk much to a point where they could get some sort of transportation. Mina preferred to call a cab over there so they could go quicker since walking was off questions because their destination was far away from the center of the town, Jihyo lived more like in the corners of the North. Again, Mina felt an incredible nostalgia with all of it, she repeatedly showed Sana the places she knew and the ones she had never seen or changed, so Mina was doing most of the talk while Sana just smiled and asked some things seeing the other's enthusiasm.

"We're almost there." Mina said after about half an hour of ride.

She surely didn't know the precise address since she never went there before for what she can tell but she knew that they were in the right direction.

The street was empty when they arrived, the sound of the cab going away echoed through it.

They looked around to find the house with the number 02 in it.

"It would be really impressive if Jihyo suddenly opened the door out of nowhere saying she knew we were coming" Sana suddenly said when they walked further.

"I know right." Mina said enthusiastic.

About some steps later, they found it. It was a small and complex house, small if one would say looking from outside since it was sandwiched between two other houses that had at least three floors but, if they payed enough attention it was possible to see that it was an spacious place.

They knocked.

"Hi" Jihyo said when she opened the door.

"Hello there"

"Good morning"

"Come in" Jihyo said. Her house was nothing unusual, some pictures, paintings, plants and some normal and not so normal furniture here and there.

She guided them to the dinner room where they could sit down by the table and talk. She put a glass of water for them and sat down. Jihyo was at the edge of the table while Sana sat by her right and Mina right beside her. Mina also passed Jihyo her contact if needed.

"So, were do I start?" Jihyo said, eyeing the two of them.

"Is there any way you can help us from here?" Mina asked.

"I can think of a few things. Do you have the card I gave to you here with you?" Jihyo said.

"Yes, we brought it" Sana said taking the things out of her bag.

"We also brought other things in case it would help"

Sana put it all on the table, the notebook she found in Mina's old room, the Polaroid picture inside of it and the card Jihyo gave them.

Jihyo took the card first.

"You see, all my memories of you came back when I saw this card and I just met you one time." Jihyo said.

"I still don't know the meaning of it though. It needs some study so I'll stay with this since here in my house I have all my books and enchantments okay? And what is this?" Jihyo said.

Mina and Sana nodded as Jihyo flipped the Polaroid picture that was on the table but was facing down.

"Oh my God" Jihyo said sounding surprised when she flipped the picture.

"It's Yoo Jeongyeon." She said.

Mina's heart skipped a beat.

"Who?" Sana said, eyes widen, she looked at Mina with expectation.

"The Queen... That explains a bit, you know her?... Wow" Jihyo said.

"I do? I mean..." Mina said, Jihyo gave her the picture and she saw it with a heavy heart. Finally a name to the face.

"How old were you when you got you know... trapped?" Jihyo asked.

"It was 2009 so 22?" Mina answered.

"Oh, I never asked that but you didn't grow old? Do you know if you're getting old now?" Sana asked, by then she didn't ask Mina too much of the subject but at the moment it seemed to be appropriate.

"I can tell she didn't grow old, she looks the exact same of when I met her." Jihyo said.

"I don't know." Mina said. Eyes focused on the picture.

_'Jeongyeon'_

"Mina, it looks like you got involved in something big. Jeongyeon only started to rule in 2010, you had already left but there were some scandals, no, more than that, it was complicated because she was only found to be of the royal family the year before and she almost lost her spot because of family conflicts and our almost war with the two neighbor cities. Those were dark times but she managed to pull it out... Now, it's been a while we don't see her" Jihyo tried her best to clarify but she knew little about it, after all she was young at the time and politics weren't really her thing.

Mina nodded placing the picture down on the table. Sana sighed looking at her.

"We also have these." She said showing the rest of the things on the table.

Jihyo analyzed the notebook, flipping its empty pages, but found nothing yet but she suggested for them to let it there for her to see if she can find out anything.

"The picture you can take with you, there's too little hints on it for me to find were it was taken an it will be damaged if I try something"

"Okay" Mina said, she was thinking hard. She was coming to a deep realization that she knew little about herself.

"Do you guys want to stay and see or you have plans?"

Sana was about to say that they would stay but Mina beat her to it.

"Sorry, I think it's better if I go now" She said, getting up, walking away. Sana looked between the both of them quickly.

"I'll go with you." She said also getting up.

"Mina" Sana called as the other went further away to the door.

"What's wrong?" She asked because Mina was walking fast. Then Mina finally got on the door, she turned around and Sana could see that her eyes were full of tears.

Jihyo was behind Sana seeing the entire scene.

"I just need a minute." Mina said as she opened the door and went outside closing it. Sana pouted as Jihyo put a hand on her shoulder.

Mina was overwhelmed. She knew she had to know in some point but she didn't think it would be like that, as she felt like she didn't know herself at all. She can't even imagine if what she can discover can be good or bad. But if she took measures like searching for a person with Jihyo's skills then it can't be good. And she doesn't know if she wants to find out.

She is still there, near the door because she can't take a step forward, because she doesn't know where to go, where to start looking for an alternative for her worries. It's confusing and so she looks back, to open the door again, just to see Sana standing there wondering if she should go after her or not, Jihyo was nowhere to be seen and it didn't matter because Mina's eyes were full of tears again when she stepped forward to meet halfway on a tight embrace with Sana.

"Sorry" Mina said.

"Are you okay?" Sana asked breaking the hug.

"I don't know what to do." She said frustrated.

"Can't we just find this woman and ask if she knows something?" Sana suggested.

"I don't think so, only if she wants to"

"Jihyo!" Sana called.

"Hi. Sorry I was busy" Jihyo said coming from inside.

"What do we have to do to find this Jeongyeon?" Sana asked while Mina recomposed herself.

"You'll have to talk to a bunch of people to see if you can get a meeting with her personal assistant and see if he can arrange a meeting with Jeongyeon aka the Queen"

"Okay. Can you show me how to?" Mina asked.

"Really? You two are determined. Actually... You won't have to talk with a bunch of people. I know a person that can help you. I'll just write the instructions down and give it to you two, wait a second, guess it's your lucky day." Jihyo said already walking away.

"Thank you" Sana said.

"Do you think this will work?" Mina said.

"You tell me... Do you want to go back to the hotel?" Sana said.

"Yes, a little bit. I need to think"

About a minute later Jihyo got back with a paper in hands.

"Here. If anything happens you know where to find me." She said.

"Thank you so much" Mina said.

"Sure and don't get into trouble you two"

"We won't" Sana said stepping out of the house.

Then they said their farewells, hoping to find something to give them hope.

...

Sana was examining the paper Jihyo gave her with care, reading it again while thinking. She was sat at the end of a bed in their hotel room.

"What time is it?" She asked out loud. Mina was laid on the bed near her, arms covering her eyes. She opened her eyes and got up a bit, supporting herself on her elbows to look at the clock.

"3:26 pm" Mina said, distantly looking at the paper on Sana's hands.

After the address, it said:

 _'Look for a girl named Ryujin in this address at 5pm, she works there. Tell her you know me, and show her this paper. She owes me a favor. And explain the situation '_ \- Park Jihyo

"We should be going in about a half an hour to get there in time." Mina said laying down again.

"I've been thinking... We didn't find the exact answer with Jihyo but we got the clue about this person... Jeongyeon... The Queen..." Mina started saying.

Sana put the paper aside and laid by her side, scooting closer.

"Go on" She said.

"I have high hopes of her knowing what happened now. Since the people I knew don't seem to know who I am but Jihyo appeared and knew about it. I hope this person can help us find more answers. I hope she remembers me." Mina said.

"Me too. But don't you think it's weird? Suddenly you discover such a big thing, like, she's an important person." Sana said looking at her. Mina stared at the ceiling, pouting.

"It is. I don't even know where to start. I'm dying to know how I know her." Mina said.

Sana came closer to her, comfortably passing her arms around the other, and Mina looked at her, staring at her eyes.

"If everything works well today, by tomorrow this same hour we'll have your answers." She said.

"And then there will be no more mysteries for us to solve" Mina said.

"And you can go home" She completed, tearing her gaze away.

Sana didn't know how to say how she really felt about leaving the other just like that, these raw emotions.

"... If I can find a place to stay you can stay a bit if you want. If it isn't gonna cause any trouble" Mina said shyly, gaze again on the ceiling.

"Really?" Sana was surprised. She genuinely smiled.

"Of course I want to, there are so many things I want to see in here." Sana said in excitement, bringing her closer to the hug.

Mina blushed, with a matching smile and also hugging the other.

And she thought, she felt, Sana was something else, she meant so much by now. To let her go, the wonder that passed Mina's mind when she least realized, maybe they could still be friends in the distance maybe not, but is that what she wanted? She didn't know. Maybe Sana would move on and forget about her, but she feels like this is too strong to let go, she feels like she trusted too much of herself to the other.

They stayed like that for a while, Mina started talking about other things to make those thoughts go away until it was time to go. Sana held Mina's hand when they went out to the streets again.

...

"Now what?" Sana pointed out, looking around, hands in her pockets as they were trying not to look suspicious.

Mina fixed her sunglasses, stepping ahead on the place in suspicious.

They were in front of a building, big golden letters indicating this was indeed the right place. The glass doors were open but just a few people had come around.

"Should we go in?" Sana asked. The few people around them were all in fancy dressing for what it looked like.

"I think so." Mina said, approaching the glass doors and coming across it.

There were no signs, no indication or directions of some sort to follow and right then they were alone after the last person they saw left the building.

Sana and Mina exchanged a look, not knowing where to go.

The first sight one encounters when they enter the building are the marble walls that cover the place, if they go a few steps ahead there are four hallways perfectly aligned on both sides and ahead are a set of elevators a little apart of each other. The place was so empty that their steps could be heard. Mina checked her clock.

_'5pm'_

And she looked around but nothing.

Sana was a bit ahead, looking at the first hallway to their right, seeing the big glass window at the end of it catching the sunlight. She stepped inside of it, seeing the many doors ahead that had many names displayed on it, ones she didn't know how to read.

Mina decided to stay there waiting. Sana wasn't going to get lost in a straight hallway anyways. If anything happened, she would just call her.

Sana stopped near the window, looking outside to the cars passing the street. She was about to go back when a door opened by her side, breaking the silence of the place, almost making her jump of the sudden interruption.

The person that opened the door also didn't seem much ready to find someone staring at her and stepped back, unintentionally dropping a bunch of files on the floor.

Sana was startled and the other seemed as much as her but the woman crouched trying to pick up the papers and started saying things in a language Sana didn't understand. It sounded so weird in her ears.

"Sorry?" Sana said, picking up an envelope near her feet and passing to the other.

"Oh. Sorry" The other said in realization.

"I said you startled me" She completed, getting up. They stared each other for just a second.

"You're not from around here are you?" The woman asked a bit suspicious.

"No. I'm looking for someone." Sana said.

"Who? Maybe I know the person." The woman said a bit curious.

"Ryujin I think" Sana said. The woman's eyes widened.

"Hi. My name's Ryujin." She said surprised.

"Oh my God" Sana said also surprised.

"Why are you looking for me?" Ryujin said a bit suspicious.

"Wait a sec! I'll call my friend." Sana said already turning around and walking fast to meet Mina.

"Mina!" She said loudly when she saw the other standing far away near the elevators. Mina turned around quickly.

"What happened?" She asked approaching.

"I found her." Sana said loudly.

"Really?" Mina said when she came closer.

By then Ryujin was by Sana's side, hugging the papers on her hands.

"Hello" Ryujin said still not sure of what was happening.

"Hi. Sorry to disturb you but-" Mina politely said taking the paper Jihyo gave them of her pocket and passing to the other. Ryujin took it and read it, finally understanding.

"I see. I came earlier today so it was pure luck you found me. Can we go to my room first?" Ryujin said. Both Mina and Sana agreed, entering the hallway again but they got in a room about three doors before the one Sana bumped into her coming out.

It looked like a normal office. No windows. A simple desk and simple chairs but much decorated.

Ryujin let her papers on the table and walked to them.

"I'm Shin Ryujin. Nice to meet you two. So, how can I help you?" She said shaking hands with them. The woman matched the profile Jihyo described so they decided to believe.

Ryujin signalized them to sit down and so they did, she sat behind her desk while the others faced her.

They explained the situation the best they could, the woman had a suspicious look all the time but her smile almost subsided it.

' _Where does Jihyo find these people?'_ She thought.

"I'll be honest with you two. The Queen's personal assistant is actually my older half-brother, that's why it's 'easier' for me to arrange a meeting as Jihyo said." Ryujin clarified staring at both of them.

"For real? So can you help us?" Sana asked.

"I can try but no promises. And tell Jihyo that we're even now" Ryujin said grabbing her cellphone to send her brother a message.

Mina and Sana shared a hopeful look.

After seconds of series of hums, Okays and Ryujin tipping on her cellphone she turned her attention to them again.

"Can one of you give me a full name? It's for identification. You'll just have to show your ID to them there." Ryujin said.

Sana said hers since it would be less complicated because she actually had an ID.

Then Ryujin got back to the messages, explaining everything before turning off the phone, looking serious at them both.

"He said you guys can come over the Yoo Mansion a bit before 12pm tomorrow since your meeting will be at 12pm, but just for six minutes, no more and he is curious to know your serious business so he's also going to the meeting is it okay?" She asked.

"It's okay." Mina said.

"Good. Ask for Kim SeokJin when you get there. Is it that all?" Ryujin said smiling.

"Yes. Thank you so much." Sana said already getting up.

Ryujin had go work so they shook hands and did their farewells before going to the front of the building again.

"So I guess now we wait" Sana pulled her cellphone out to look at the hour, quickly calculating it accordingly.

"It was easier than I thought actually." She said as they started walking.

"People here have a good relationship regarding the royal family as far as I know. But it was luck we got a meeting so soon" Mina said, looking around to the buildings around them.

She was curious.

.

"How do I dress to meet a Queen?" Sana asked to no one specifically, looking down to her luggage that laid on the bed. Mina was near her, eyeing her curiously.

"I don't know actually," She said looking to her own simple clothes.

"You don't need to put too much mind into it, you look good with anything" Mina said, a bit low on the last part.

"Really? Do I? Were you paying attention to it?" Sana asked a bit teasingly. Mina just stared at her.

Mina just stared because she didn't know what to say.

"I'm kidding" Sana said, picking up anything to wear and heading to the bathroom.

 _'Maybe I'm not, maybe I'm kind curious to know if you were'_ Sana thought.

Mina just sat down on the bed, sighing, she was doing that a lot the last days.

Sana came back quickly after getting ready, stopping her tracks when she saw Mina just standing near the window, staring far away.

She doesn't know if Mina heard her coming closer or anything but she didn't seem to react, Sana stood beside her by the window and stopped, waiting for something that never came and she decided to look away just like Mina did, focusing on the details of the city before them. Her hand was slightly touching Mina's and before she realized she was staring at her sideframe.

"Nervous?" Sana asked.

Mina turned to her and looked at her eyes for just a second before looking away.

"Yes"

She looked down to the city again.

All Sana's thoughts were about Mina but she didn't know what to say so she just stepped closer, getting a view of Mina finally shifting gaze between Sana and the window in front of them.

"Want to get something to eat on the way?" Mina asked, trying to bring up a familiar and normal subject.

Sana thought she was somehow failing a bit and it was strange. She wanted to be the cause of Mina's wonders right there, as much as Mina were in hers. Maybe she was feeling more insecure than ever that day because it looked like Mina was stepping away from her, far, but still in her reach.

"Okay" Sana softly said, going away because she was starting to get some strange feelings.

Mina looked back at her before following to get her things so they could get going.

...

It was so silent. They stood in the front door of the mansion, hands together, looking at it in attention.

Soon after the door was open, a butler came from it and greeted them.

"Hello, I'm Minatozaki Sana and we're looking for Kim SeokJin. We have a meeting here today." Sana said. The butler asked her identification and everything seemed to check.

"I'll show you two the meeting room." He said, letting the two enter.

That morning was agitated to say the least in the mansion. Since all the meetings were being held there the past few months by request of the Queen herself instead of the castle, the butlers and maids were working non-stop to accommodate everyone correctly. Actually, the Queen had about three more other meetings that day, important ones, matters of the State because something big was about to happen and they kind of had a feeling about it.

"You two can wait here, I'll be calling when you can enter" The butler said and walked forward to cross a door at the end of the room.

They stopped in a wide space, a few chairs aligned, it looked like a waiting room, elegant, chic and it seemed to guard the two large doors not so far away from them.

 _'11:58'_ Mina could read in the clock standing above a painting in the wall in front of them. Sana got up surprising her.

"This place is amazing." Sana said looking around the room.

Somehow, Mina had a strange sensation about that room, almost like nostalgia.

Mina didn't get up, just followed Sana with her eyes as the other started walking around.

There was a hallway nearby, actually, at the far left of the room so they couldn't glance where it leaded to and if Sana were an attentive person, she would have heard the steps coming from it. Entering the hallway was a painting, a huge one and she wanted to take a look at it so she was about to enter the hallway when she bumped with someone.

She froze, her mouth hung open.

"Oh my" The man standing before her said, iced coffee all over his clothes as the cup that was full of it lied on the floor, rolling to the side.

In conclusion, at the beginning of the hallway, Sana bumped with a tall man wearing a suit and made him spill his coffee.

She didn't know why she was being so clumsy the last days.

She came into realization and widened her eyes, coming entirely into the hallway.

"I am so sorry." She said looking at the mess.

The man was looking down trying to wipe his clothes with his pocket tissue, his black suit, his white shirt, his pants, heck he swears he even got coffee in his underwear.

"No, it's okay" He said, not looking at her but he didn't seem angry.

Sana didn't know what to do, she looked at her own clothes and just a bit got on her shirt, it looked like the cup turned to his side only.

He finally looked at her, giving up of wiping the mess he was.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"Minatozaki Sana. I'm here for a meeting." She said.

"Oh, the 12pm meeting. I'm Kim SeokJin." He said charismatically, standing her hand at her.

 _'12:00'_ Mina read on the clock. The noise of the clock announcing the hour. Right at that moment she looked back and noticed Sana was nowhere at her sight.

"Sana?" Mina said out loud.

"Miss, you can enter now" The butler came out of the room and indicated the open door.

"I'm here" Sana peeked her head out of the hallway.

Sana looked back at Mina but the latter couldn't see what was the commotion about, actually she could barely see Sana.

SeokJin liked to attend every meeting but that one and the next he could just ask Jeongyeon about it later.

"Look, I can't attend the meeting like this so you can go, sorry" SeokJin said.

 _'I guess I have time to go home before the next important one'_ He thought.

"Okay" Sana looked back at him with that.

"Nice to meet you" He said before turning away, walking from the same path he came.

"You can go on. I'll just go to the bathroom." Sana said stepping back a bit and showing Mina her stained shirt.

"You have to go now Miss" The butler warned, one minute had almost passed. Mina had so many questions to Sana but preferred to enter the room anyways. Sana could catch up in a bit.

"Can you show me the bathroom?" Sana asked the butler after he closed the door for Mina behind him.

"Yes Miss" He said approaching Sana, seeing the coffee spilled on the floor and SeokJin far away, he understood it and asked her to follow him, the bathroom wasn't very far. Sana just looked down frustrated to her own shirt, walking away from the meeting room.

*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if there are typos in there :')
> 
> (If someone wants to know) Their ages updated:
> 
> Mina: 22(appearence)/32
> 
> Sana: 22(almost 23)
> 
> Jihyo: 25
> 
> Nayeon: 34
> 
> Chaeyoung: 20
> 
> Tzuyu: 20
> 
> Momo: 23
> 
> Dahyun: 21
> 
> Jeongyeon: 33
> 
> And their ages are like that just bc I want to lol it makes sense in my head


End file.
